Henri Belolo, The Man Behind The Village People, Passes

Henri Belolo

SCORPIO MUSIC founder and Dance music pioneer HENRI BELOLO passed away on SATURDAY, AUGUST 3rd, 2019 after a 60-year career. Born on NOVEMBER 27th 1936 in CASABLANCA, MOROCCO, BELOLO first got into the business with BARCLAY RECORDS and ATLANTIC before moving to PARIS at the end of the '60s. After a successful sting at POLYDOR, he produced albums for legendary French artists such as SERGE REGGIANI, GEORGES MOUSTAKI and JEANNE MOREAU. In 1970, HENRI BELOLO declined the presidency of POLYDOR to launch CARABINE MUSIC. 

BELOLO fund more success at SIGMA SOUND STUDIOS in PHILADELPHIA circa 1972, where he and co-writer JACQUES MORALI wrote a bevy of disco hits between 1975 and 1980, including the #1 "Brazil" by sold the RITCHIE FAMILY released in 1975. After that he co-launched THE VILLAGE PEOPLE; he  co-wrote and produced “Macho Man,” “In The Navy,” “Go West” and “YMCA.” 

During the '80s, BELOLO and MORALI made hits for PATRICK JUVET and EARTHA KITT, then brought break dancing to EUROPE. In the '90s, he got into house music and the club culture in FRANCE and across EUROPE. Throughout the 2000s, BELOLO led SCORPIO MUSIC to several hits 2000s, including the global smash “Mi Gente,” by WILLY WILLIAM, J BALVIN and BEYONCE that was #1 in 55 countries, 67x Platinum in the U.S. and with over two billion views on YOUTUBE.

BELOLO is followed by his sons JONATHAN and ANTHONY, who took the presidency of SCORPIO MUSIC in 2010. “HENRI will live on in our hearts and minds forever," SCORPIO MUSIC said in a statement. "We extend our deepest sympathies to HENRI’s family.”

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