Percy Yip Tong’s life is a novel, rich in encounters and travels. Born in the 60s, this jack-of-all-trades wears many hats. Passionate about sega, reggae and African music, he is artistic director, manager and producer. , and a launched the careers of several leading Mauritian artists. Today, he is dedicated to the promoting African bands in Europe.
Florence Guillemain
Discovering African music
With his baccalaureate in hand, he left Mauritius at the age of 18 on a scholarship to study in Aix-en-Provence, France, in 1978. It was there that he fell in love with African music. He worked as a security guard at international concerts featuring Touré Kunda, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti and others. When I was 19, people thought I was Bruce Lee, it was my first job,” says Percy, amused. He went on to organize concerts, host a show on Radio JR (Jeunesse Rebelle) and DJ Sound System evenings, playing reggae, African and Indian Ocean music. As he speaks English very well, he works as an interpreter for the great jazzman Dizzy Gillespie. “In fact, for 7 years, I learned more outside university, working at a factory in Berlin and as a bartender in Hamburg,” he admits.
At the age of 25, he returned to Mauritius and rediscovered his island’s cultures.
A showcase for Mauritian and African talent
While hiking in Chamarel, he heard a performance by Alpha Blondy; the group Zanfan Samarel (now Natir) was rehearsing. Their music won him over. In 1986, he launched Cyper Produktion and released their1st album, under his Kool Kreol label.
He met Kaya for the first time in 1987. At the time, the group was called Racinetatane. “MBC was filming a program about me in Tamarin. I took the opportunity to introduce Kaya and his new music, seggae, a mix of sega and reggae”, explains the producer, who tried his luck on Réunion Island with Kaya. Racinetatane’s concerts were an instant hit. Cyper Produktion also collaborates with Eric Triton, OSB, Linzy Bacbotte, and above all Menwar, producing his album “Ay Ay Lolo”. They set off on a world tour of major festivals. Percy also organized a final concert with Kaya, who was arrested shortly afterwards, in February 1999, for smoking weed on stage. His scandalous death in prison provoked riots.
Today, Percy is a cultural expert for the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and a trainer in cultural management in Africa. He is also a lecturer for the UN, the World Bank, the European Union and the IOC, among others.
For the past ten years, he has been touring Europe with African artists. “I like to promote African and Indian Ocean music in northern countries, where it’s highly appreciated,” he explains.
