Innoss'B

Innocent Didace Balume (born May 5, 1997), professionally known as Innoss'B, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, rapper, percussionist, dancer, and philanthropist.

Often referred to as the "Jeune Leader," he is renowned for pioneering the Afrocongo music genre, an eclectic fusion of Congolese rumba, indigenous folklore, and ndombolo.

Innoss'B was born into a musical family in war-ravaged Goma, North Kivu Province.

At the age of six, he began his music career as a member of the family group Maisha Soul.

Innocent Didace Balume was born on May 5, 1997, in Goma, North Kivu Province, Zaire.

His father was a dancer, and his mother was a cantor at church.

He is the youngest of six children and had three brothers as musicians.

Raised in Goma's Birere District, he spent considerable time at his paternal grandmother's residence, where he developed a passion for Michael Jackson's music.

In 2002, Innocent, his brothers, and around 300,000 others were displaced by the Nyiragongo volcanic eruption.

To raise awareness of their situation, the brothers formed a band called Maisha Soul while living in a refugee camp.

The family ensemble included Prince Agakhan Balume, Eric Fonkodji Balume, Achille Djibril Balume, and Innocent Didace Balume.

They received training at Yolé!Africa, a youth cultural center founded by filmmaker and activist Petna Ndaliko Katondolo.

The band collaborated with several artists, including Pascal Lokua Kanza.

Their single "Another Way," released in 2005, won the Revelation 2007 Award at the Goma Tourism Fair.

The group gained recognition after winning the 2007 Revelation Award at the Goma Tourism Fair.

In 2009, Innocent participated in a provincial singing competition organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross and secured third place among over 20 selected groups.

The following year, at just 13 years old, he won the Vodacom Superstar contest, co-hosted by Vodacom in partnership with Akon, Akonic Entertainment, and Nickie Davis.

He achieved the feat with a performance of Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."

His victory earned him $25,000, and allocated a portion of his prize money to his former school in Goma.

The win provided a platform to launch his music career, and he collaborated with Akon on the song "Up and Away".

He later ventured out as a solo artist after winning the Akon-sponsored 2010 Vodacom Superstar contest, which led to his collaboration with Akon on the international song "Up and Away".

While still in Maisha Soul, he released his debut single, "I Can Be Your Blue-Eyed Boy," in March 2012, which became an instant hit and peaked at number one on the Africa Hit chart on Trace TV.

He later participated in Lexxus Legal's self-titled album, Lexxus, on the track "Dors Pas Tard".

In December 2012, he relocated to Washington, accompanied by Maisha Soul and his manager Lady Nadia, where they appeared on various TV shows and radio stations, including Bakolo States owned by Gary Iwele and Voice of America.

On July 17, 2013, he released his debut studio album, Innocent Vol.1.

In January 2013, they toured Los Angeles, where Innocent and Maisha Soul attended the Cinema for Peace Humanitarian Awards, honoring Ben Affleck and his foundation, Eastern Congo Initiatives, at the Beverly Hills Hotel during the 70th Golden Globe Awards.

The band conveyed the plight of the Kivu conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo through their performances while showcasing their talents and representing their country.

On January 28, he and Maisha Soul returned to the DRC and officially announced their "Keep Smiling" mixtape from the US.

The mixtape was sung in Swahili and was later released on January 29.

On February 10, 2013, Innocent released his single "Neti na uh" and subsequently toured the US along with Maisha Soul.

They performed in Atlanta in front of Martin Luther King III on February 16 and met Ludacris on February 15.

On July 10, 2013, he officially announced to Radio Okapi his countrywide tour of major cities, culminating in performances at the Amani Festival concerts in Goma, promoting the culture of peace as part of the countrywide tour.

He later represented his country at the Global Philanthropy Forum in San Francisco and was honored with the Special Jury Trophy at the prestigious Ndule Pan-African Awards in Kinshasa.

In early 2013, Innocent announced his debut solo studio album, Innocent Vol.1, during an exclusive interview on Radio Kivu1.

In October 2015, Innoss'B made a name for himself in Kinshasa with his collaborations with Werrason on a hit single "Eloko" and later with Koffi Olomidé on "Elengi" in October 2016.

On June 30, 2017, he released his five-track maxi-single, plus.

The lead track, "Ozo Beta Mabe", became an instant hit in Africa with over one million views on YouTube in just five months, making Innoss'B one of the most successful young Congolese and African artists.

On December 26, 2021, Innoss'B released his second studio album, Mortal 06.

In 2020, Innoss'B became the first Congolese musician to reach more than 100 million views on YouTube for his "Yo Pe" remix, featuring Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz.

The BBC has tipped him as one of the African stars with the potential for global success in 2020, praising his unique style that has him "dancing to the beat of his drum" and bringing "a modern and youthful sound to Congolese music."