I don't think Pepe Kalle would have left Empire Bakuba. What would have happened, it would be similar to Papa Wemba's cold war of Viva La Musica between Nouvelle Ecriture and Cours des Grands. If Pepe Kalle had been alive, it would have been a cold war between Empire Bakuba bands which would have Delta Force vis a vis Gode Lofombo and Djouna Mumbafu vs Trio Kadima vis a vis Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex.
Remember, Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex and Pepe Kalle already had a fallout between 1997 and 1998 period.