Hello guys. It will be 25 years since the passing of Pepe Kalle. Unfortunately, there will be no tribute concert largely due to new controversies that we have learned from Empire Bakuba musicians and the great conflicts between them.

Now I am doing part one. If Pepe Kalle were alive, what would have happened to Empire Bakuba. For me, I am going to state this. Empire Bakuba would have been split into two camps. It would be Empire Bakuba Delta Force vs Empire Bakuba Kadima. It would be similar to Papa Wemba's situation with two Viva La Musica camps (La Nouvelle Écriture vs Cours des Grands) but this one would be different because Pepe Kalle would never choose one over another. Pepe Kalle would have played it tough on both sides to show up.

Here is how things would have been if Pepe Kalle had lived longer in my opinion. With Empire Bakuba Delta Force, all those dancers would be with some of the Empire Bakuba singers except Djodjo Ikomo. He would bring in some Empire members into it like Djuna Mumbafu and Lofombo and then add a few members from an outside band. Then with Empire Bakuba Kadima, he would bring some former Quartier Latin, Viva and/or Victoria members as well as an older member like Likinga Redo into this band. Doris and Elvis would remain into Empire Bakuba Kadima camp.

This is how I think the Empire Bakuba lineups would have been after the 1999 tour

Empire Bakuba Delta Force (Pepe Kalle)
President: Pepe Kalle
Vice Presidents: Djuna Mumbafu, Gode Lofombo, Kinanga Boeing 737
Singers: Biya Chante, Bouro Mpela, Desouza Santu, Djuna Mumbafu, German Kanza, Laudy Mukaba, Prince Bella, Pepe Kalle, Strelli Mikobi
Solo Guitar: Kinanga Boeing 737, Rolls Papillon
Misolo Guitar: Laurent Kadogo
Rhythm Guitar: Fofo Collegien, Malick Diyoyo
Bass Guitar: Gode Lofombo, Mimiche Basse
Drummer: Gode Lofombo, Ile de Cambridge
Animations: Djuna Mumbafu, John Scott, Papy Rebelle
Congas: Yaya Londa
Keyboards: Bruno Nsona

Empire Bakuba Kadima
Presidents: Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex, Pepe Kalle
Singers: Bovi Mukoko, Dilu Dilumona, Djodjo Ikomo, Likinga Redo, Luciana Demingongo, Malembe Chant, Papy Tex, Pepe Kalle, Solo Sita
Solo Guitar: Auguy Lutula, Beniko Popilipo, Doris Ebuya
Rhythm Guitar: Do Akongo, Elvis Kunku
Bass Guitar: Guy Nsangue, MP Cherie
Drummer: Lugilo Madaka Daka
Animations: Etats Unis, Moussa, Shela Mputu, Theo Mbala
Keyboards: Kalu
Congas: Shora Mbonda

Fallout between Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex and Pepe Kalle
MY THEORY

First Part: 1989
The fallout came from the 1989 dispute between Dilu, Papy and Pepe as Djuna Mumbafu mentioned to Popol Mukelenge when Pepe decided to separate himself due to an issue of traveling to Europe. This was when Pepe Kalle was having some solo success and was preparing his biggest solo album GERANT. This was the time where I think Dilu and Papy never really got over Pepe's sudden impulse for an attempt at separation. This leads the second part.
Second Part: Dilu, Papy and Pepe not singing as much together as the past
When Dilu Dilumona, Papy Tex and Pepe Kalle got back together, all the singers had left. It remained only the three. Actually it was a good thing because they were having success but some members like Kinanga Boeing 737 wanted other singers around Trio Kadima. In 1992, they would add Bovi Mukoko, Djodjo Ikomo and Blaise Matadidi. Afterwards, Dilu, Papy and Pepe would do their own albums however Pepe wanted Dilu to release his album after him and Papy which Dilu got very upset about (according to Yaya Londa). Dilu and Papy would not sing together for 5 years while Pepe would sing with Dilu and Papy on their own prespective albums however Dilu and Pepe were not supposed to sing together. According to Yaya Londa, the song Biya, the solo vocal Pepe made was supposed to be for Djodjo but Pepe forced the removal of Djodjo's solo vocals into the song. It does explain why we never saw Dilu and Pepe perform at the same time during the 1994 European trip and they never played the Biya song. This was clear that there was some bad blood between Dilu and Pepe that would get deeper later on (I will return to that on the fourth part). Dilu, Papy and Pepe's relationship started to fracture a bit more slowly and it would get deeper due to Pepe's two favorites
Third Part: Djuna Mumbafu and Gode Lofombo
As Pepe Kalle grew less closer to Dilu and Papy, he started to find his clear favorites. Among them were Djuna Mumbafu and Gode Lofombo. Pepe Kalle considered these two men to very talented in his ears. Pepe would let them know what musical style he was looking. Djuna and Gode were good students and they were always doing their best to impress Pepe Kalle. Djuna Mumbafu became among the top animators while Gode Lofombo was becoming one of the best bassists in Congolese music scene. But because of Pepe's closeness to Djuna and Gode, it actually helped the Empire Bakuba group as a whole. Folks like Kinanga Boeing 737 who was a rebellious man at times, realized that Djuna and Gode were the ones to use to get some demands met especially about money. This however created a deeper fraction between Dilu, Papy and Pepe partially because of the Savoir Vivre album which Dilu and Pepe would sing and Papy would not sing in and it led to the album flopping. Papy was very mad that Djuna Mumbafu, Gode Lofombo and others wanted to do an album of their own when it was not permitted. Dilu and Pepe disagreed and I believe, it created a deeper fraction. But then music scene changed also. New animation style started arriving and Empire Bakuba was considered an old school band being unable to attract the youth. Deeply hurted by this, Pepe Kalle felt the need to get some new dancers to lure new fans. This lead to the fourth part that killed the brotherhood
Fourth Part: Delta Force
Pepe Kalle had finished the album Cocktail which Dilu and Papy had no role. Dilu and Pepe already had tension from years ago due to his solo album "MOTO". Dilu got very upset when Pepe decided to bring new dancers to the clips of Cocktail. Papy appeared to not be too happy either as he felt that he was uninformed about this decision. Pepe's decisions about Cocktail, I believe was the final nail in coffin of the brotherhood between Dilu, Papy and Pepe as Dilu and Papy grew more and more distant from Pepe. Pepe was determined to get Empire Bakuba back in action for the public. Dilu and Papy were not pleased when Pepe decided to bring those dancers as full time Empire Bakuba members. We all know what happened afterwards when Pepe passed away. 

Gode Lofombo and Djuna Mumbafu will not like this interview too much.

We know that Djuna Mumbafu and Gode Lofombo have had issues (though it not as bad) and they have given different takes on Delta Force but here are things that they both say about one another
- They were very close with one another before Pepe Kalle's death
- They never had any conflict before Pepe Kalle's death
- They spoke of good things being together while being with Pepe Kalle
- Both admit that they had problems with other musicians before Pepe Kalle's death but Lofombo says he was hated by most of the members of the band while Djuna claims that Lofombo had an ugly dispute with Rolls Papillion.
- Both confirm that Lofombo was near Pepe Kalle on the day of Pepe's death

However we have a former member that actually disputes both of these men's claims. Some know him but he is Lugilo Madaka Daka. He is a great drummer actually. He was Empire Bakuba's drummer during the final years with albums Merci Maman and Full Option as well as Tour de Babel.
Lugilo refutes Lofombo's claim that he played all drums on Pepe's final album Cocktail. Lugilo also refutes Kinanga Boeing 737's version of how Dilu got away from Empire Bakuba. Lugilo claims that real reason that Empire Bakuba went downhill is because Papy Tex wanted him to take charge of Empire Bakuba leading to Doris Ebuya and Elvis Kunku running away to Europe and it harmed the Empire band. Lugilo also says that Lofombo hated him and he tried to everything he could to mess him up and have no success.

Lugilo says in his own words that Lofombo was fighting with everyone including Djuna Mumbafu himself. This claim will make Djuna and Gode very mad but Lugilo probably sticks to this claim.

Here are the videos

It seems there were significant tensions within Empire Bakuba before the album "Cocktail."

If Pépé Kalle had been alive, it's possible the group would have split. Serious personal issues between Pépé Kalle and Papy Tex, who was involved with Pépé Kalle's sister, led to the breakdown of their friendship, to the point where they almost came to blows.

During this challenging period, Lofombo reportedly suggested creating Delta Force during the recording of "Cocktail." In my opinion, if Pépé Kalle had been around, he, Lofombo, Djuna Mumbafu, Papillon, and the younger members might have formed Delta Force, leaving the rest of the group with Dilu and Papy Tex, considering the latter's lack of appreciation for Djuna and Lofombo.

I believe that Delta Force could have given Pépé Kalle a new lease on life, especially after Wenge's breakup, which compelled all major groups, without exception, to reinvent themselves.