I am curious to ask, who caused the fallout between JB Mpiana and Werrason?
According to Elliot Mondombe there were already tensions since the days of Anges Adorables volume 1&2 but they still being together. The conflict got worse during the 1996-97 Europe about Wenge 4x4 either well or not recording an album and their staffs of Europe making it worser by reporting to both guys Werra said this about you, JB said this about you. The conflict became on higher level because of fashion. Every tour when Wenge 4x4 returns to Kinshasa they have a new look, for example Cris-Cros & Versace in 1993, Pentagone in 1996, the Kin E Bouger look in 1992, etc. Werrason and co decided to come with Japanese brands. JB wasn't there because of still being in Europe to finish his album. Then when JB returned to Kinshasa he imposed the "Bana Mindele" look. Masela & Werrason weren't happy with that. From then it became really war and the band being split in two. It was really difficult for the musicians. Because if you weren't in Werra & Masela's camp you had a problem as musician and the same if you weren't in JB's camp. Musicians then being spy and reporting to both musicians what they were saying about each other.You had also an unhappy JB who was hurt, because of rumors being spread that he had lost his head and was tied up at home for occultism in order that Feux de l'Amour would get crazy succes. JB's camp accusing Werrason for spreading those rumors and being jealous of him. In the song Esau he would coming back on that, the way rumors were spread that he lost his head. In JB's first interviews after Feux de l'Amour release he would often being asked if those rumors were true or not. The conflict became only worser with the time going on and them at some point not talking to each other anymore
Quote from: Mfumu Vata on March 14, 2023, 00:37According to Elliot Mondombe there were already tensions since the days of Anges Adorables volume 1&2 but they still being together. The conflict got worse during the 1996-97 Europe about Wenge 4x4 either well or not recording an album and their staffs of Europe making it worser by reporting to both guys Werra said this about you, JB said this about you. The conflict became on higher level because of fashion. Every tour when Wenge 4x4 returns to Kinshasa they have a new look, for example Cris-Cros & Versace in 1993, Pentagone in 1996, the Kin E Bouger look in 1992, etc. Werrason and co decided to come with Japanese brands. JB wasn't there because of still being in Europe to finish his album. Then when JB returned to Kinshasa he imposed the "Bana Mindele" look. Masela & Werrason weren't happy with that. From then it became really war and the band being split in two. It was really difficult for the musicians. Because if you weren't in Werra & Masela's camp you had a problem as musician and the same if you weren't in JB's camp. Musicians then being spy and reporting to both musicians what they were saying about each other.You had also an unhappy JB who was hurt, because of rumors being spread that he had lost his head and was tied up at home for occultism in order that Feux de l'Amour would get crazy succes. JB's camp accusing Werrason for spreading those rumors and being jealous of him. In the song Esau he would coming back on that, the way rumors were spread that he lost his head. In JB's first interviews after Feux de l'Amour release he would often being asked if those rumors were true or not. The conflict became only worser with the time going on and them at some point not talking to each other anymoreWhat was the problem initially about since the days of Anges Adorables? Was always about how the money was shared or who had the most authority in the group? Also, do the members of Wenge Musica get royalties from the songs credited to their name? I'm not sure if they understood music publishing when they started music
they argued about royalties because they were made to believe that makaba was getting huge royalties from the guy's song because he started crediting himself as composer of songs and all that,while if anything they had a lot of free or discounted sessions because of him in recordings since he knew owners due to his session work,while he was just filling the credits like he learned in europe and thats it since the group was not yet properly affiliated and also the musicians were reporting payment issues to alain a lot who was already against the system of jb werra masela controlling too much of the money so there was a bit of friction about it but it cooled down quick with people stepping in with gifts and all that to calm musiciansyou'll notice until today that every single of the simple members has the most absolute respect for makaba as he has always been "on their side",which helped lead the group with less drama than it happened since he was so often abroadevery of his returns were raising questions about the band which did not go with the usual kinshasa system(i mean that he was having a different mindset,based on what he learned in europe,the respect of structure and all that whereas the kin system just works depending on the mood of the leaders)