"KING OF DANGDUT"

Raden Irama (born December 11, 1946, in Tasikmalaya, West Java), most commonly known as Rhoma Irama, is an Indonesian dangdutmusician and occasional actor. During the height of his stardom in the 1970s, he became the self-proclaimed Raja Dangdut (King of Dangdut) with his group Soneta.

Prior to his a pilgrimage to Mecca, he was known as Oma Irama. He is a member of aristocrat class of Sundanese from both his father, Raden Burdah Anggawirya, and mother, R.H. Tuti Juariah.

Beginnings:

ROma Irama's first bands were known as Tornado and Gayhand, and covered Western rock and roll music of Paul Anka, Andy Williams, andThe Beatles.

In the late 1960s Oma Irama, sang orkes Melayu and also some pop Indonesia. In 1968 he joined the group Orkes Melayu Purnama in 1968. This group pioneered elements of the dangdut style within orkes Melayu music - the drum was changed to double drum, the electric guitar's role was expanded, and the suling, or bamboo flute, adopted a style reminiscent of Bollywood music. He also recorded pop Indonesia music during this period with the Zaenal Combo and Galaksi, while the album 'Ingkar Janji' was recorded in 1969 with Orkes Melayu Chandraleka.

Once Oma broke from recording with the Purnama Group, he formed Orkes Melayu Soneta (named for the English word sonnet), which became the first dangdut group in 1970. The subtitle, 'the sound of Moslems' was added in 1973.

The group featured Oma Irama and Elvy Sukaesih as singers, both solo, and duets. Their first album, 'Volume 01', 'Begadang' ('Stay up all night'), released in 1973, featured 4 songs by Oma Irama, three by Elvy, and three duets. The song featured a topless Oma Irama wearing tight trousers and holding an electric guitar. His choice of pose showed the influence on his music of Western hard rock bands, influences which also found their way into his music - orkes Melayu was in his opinion was too soft, too acoustic, too polite, and unable to compete against the power and energy of rock music, and so the music was electrified, with keyboard, two electric guitars, electric bass, as well as the traditional suling and gendang. He has stated that he took his guitar style from Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple. In addition to Western and Malay influences, Hindi composers were credited for some of the band's songs.

The Begadang album ranked #11 on Rolling Stone Indonesia's "150 Greatest Indonesian Albums of All Time" list. Furthermore, the main single "Begadang" reached at number 24 on the magazine's "150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time" list.

His 1973 hit Terajana, one of the best-known dangdut songs of all time, was the first to use the newly coined, and arguably derogatory, term dangdut, distinguishing the Javanese orkes Melayu music, heavily influenced by Indian Bollywood records, henceforth dangdut, from the established orkes Melayu, associated with North Sumatran Malays.

Once Soneta was established in the early 70's, Oma changed his name to Rhoma and went on a decade long run of successful hit records and films, all of which starred Rhoma playing himself while performing all of his hits. He wrote the classics "Kareta Malam" and "Kuda Lumping" which were sung by Elvy Sukaesih.

Performing live, he adopted many of the props of stadium rock, including large audiences, powerful soundsystems, complex sets, fireworks, flashing lights, and smoke machines.

HAJI

Following his 1975 hajj, he took the name Rhoma Irama, which is an abbreviation of "Raden Haji Oma Irama" (Raden is an aristocracy title for Javanese and Sundanese cultures). Following this pilgrimage, he took on a more explicitly Islamic moral tone, adopting Islamic dress, shorter hairstyles, and ejecting band members who consumed alcohol or had extra-marital sex. He also resolved that his music should instruct, and not merely entertain, a form of jihad waged through music. Themes in his music included extra-marital sex, government corruption, drugs, and gambling.The song haram for instance, warns against both drugs and gambling.

Rhoma Irama campaigned for Islamic party PPP from 1977 to 1982, and as a result he was banned from state television and radio by the Suharto regime, which was at that time enforcing separation of religion and state, and some of his songs were also banned from sale. The ban was lifted in 1988, and with Suharto himself moving towards Islam in the 1990s, dangdut became of the establishment.

His 1982 movie Perjuangan dan Doa (Struggle and Prayer) as described as the world's first Islamic rock musical movie.

In recent years Rhoma Irama has campaigned against Inul Daratista a dangdut star popular for her suggestive dancing, acting as head of composers' union PIMMA to ban her from singing any of their compositions.

Discography:

Pre Soneta

• Djangan Kau Marah
• Di Rumah Sadja
• Di Dalam Bemo
• Biarkan Aku Pergi
• Anak Pertama
• Djenggo
• In Dan Dip
• Pemburu

With OM Soneta

• Dangdut
• Surat Terakhir
• Berbulan Madu
• Gelandangan
• Joget
• Janda Kembang
• Tiada Lagi

With Soneta Group (Volume Series)

• Soneta Vol-1 Begadang (1973)
• Soneta Vol-2 Penasaran (1974)
• Soneta Vol-3 Rupiah (1975)
• Soneta Vol-4 Darah Muda (1975)
• Soneta Vol-5 Musik (1976)
• Soneta Vol-6 135.000.000 (1977)
• Soneta Vol-7 Santai (1977)
• Soneta Vol-8 Hak Azazi (1978)
• Soneta Vol-9 Begadang 2 (1979)
• Soneta Vol-10 Sahabat (1980)
• Soneta Vol-11 Indonesia (1980)
• Soneta Vol-12 Renungan Dalam Nada (1981)
• Soneta Vol-13 Emansipasi Wanita (1983)
• Soneta Vol-14 Judi (1989)
• Soneta Vol-15 Gali Lobang Tutup Lobang (1989)
• Soneta Vol-16 Bujangan (1994)

Movie Soundtrack Albums

• Oma Irama Penasaran
• Gitar Tua Oma Irama
• Darah Muda
• Begadang
• Berkelana I
• Berkelana II
• Raja Dangdut
• Camelia
• Cinta Segitiga
• Perjuangan dan Doa
• Melodi Cinta
• Badai di Awal Bahagia
• Sebuah Pengorbanan
• Cinta Kembar
• Pengabdian
• Satria Bergitar
• Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga
• Menggapai Matahari I
• Menggapai Matahari II
• Nada-Nada Rindu
• Bunga Desa
• Jaka Swara
• Nada dan Dakwah
• Tabir Biru
• Dawai 2 Asmara

Rhoma Irama Solo Albums

• Pemilu (1982)
• Lebaran (1984)
• Persaingan (1986)
• Haji (1988)
• Modern (1989)
• Haram (1990)
• Salawat Nabi (1991)
• Kehilangan Tongkat (1993)
• Rana Duka (1994)
• Stress (1995)
• Baca (1995)
• Viva Dangdut 1996
• Mirasantika (1997)
• Reformasi (1998)
• Euforia (2000)
• Syahdu (2001)
• Asmara (2003)
• Jana Jana (2008)
• Azza(2010)

Filmography

• Oma Irama Penasaran (1976)
• Gitar Tua Oma Irama (1977)
• Darah Muda (1977)
• Rhoma Irama Berkelana I (1978)
• Rhoma Irama Berkelana II (1978)
• Begadang (1978)
• Raja Dangdut (1978)
• Cinta Segitiga (1979)
• Camelia (1979)
• Perjuangan dan Doa (1980)
• Melody Cinta Rhoma Irama (1980)
• Badai di Awal Bahagia (1981)
• Sebuah Pengorbanan (1982)
• Satria Bergitar (1984)
• Pengabdian (1984)
• Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga (1985)
• Menggapai Matahari I (1986)
• Menggapai Matahari II (1986)
• Nada-nada Rindu (1987)
• Bunga Desa (1988)
• Jaka Swara (1990)
• Nada dan Dakwah (1991)
• Tabir Biru (1994)
• Dawai 2 Asmara (2010)
• Sajadah Ka'bah (2011)