What artists of their time did your parents listen to vs what atists of their time did you have to discover on your own.


Im a 90s baby and grew up in a Koffi household. Not much Wenge 4x4 or anything else being played other than Koffi. Little bit of Papa Wemba but no King Kester. At times some Franco but never heard my dad play any Grand Kalle.

As I got older and got more into Wenge I was able to see how much they insipired music of their time and even the Koffi that I grew up on. The more I did my research on our music the more I was able to see how much they got inspired by King Kester.

Still working on brushing up on Grand Kalle classics though, it’ll come in due time.

My parents listened to Madilu, older Papa Wemba, Zaiko, Franco you know the old people Music lol. But I grew up on Makoma, Aime Nkanu and others on the religious side but on the secular side it Loi, Ultamatium and Koffi's Zenith and Olympia and Wenge Pentagone (only Wenge album I know) and I didn't really get into Maison Mere around 2002-2003 (everyone around me was really on Koffi and Quatier Latin) when we had a VHS of one of their concerts. And I started to pay  attention to Bcbg with the Kipe Ya Yo generique.

My dad was TPOK to the hilt. I only tilted to Congolese Music in 2004 and am a JB fanatic

Started off Listening to dr. Nico Kassnada in 1973 then Orchestre Lipua Lipua and the Editions Veve Clan in 1974
Moved on to Les Mangelepa and super Mazembe Late 70's
Discovered the Grand Maitre Franco in 1981, and his rival Tabu Ley

In the 90's followed Zaiko Langa Langa (Nyoka and Familia Dei), Pepe Kalle and Kanda Bongo Man

I have also followed the career of Koffi Olomide from Papa Bonheur until V12.

On Wenge I followed them from Les anges Adorable Vol1 up to the split.

In 2000's I have followed Papa Wemba till his untimley death.

Ndeko Jdog reminded me but honorable mention to Charles Mombaya, Debaba, David Ntumba, Carlyto Lassa, Aime Nkanu and Matou Samuel. I was raised in Mama Olangi’s church in Paris. Used to see a lot of secular artists at LLC waiting on us to vacate the room 

My parents grew up in the time of Franco/OK JAZZ and Tabu Ley, Zaiko, Papa Wemba/Viva La Musica. I'm pretty sure when La Vie Est Belle came out in 87' they were in High School.

But growing up being a 90's baby as well, it was mostly a Wenge (MM x BCBG) and Koffi household, but my dad pretty much played a good chunk of everything. I heard Kester, Papa Wemba, Moses Fan Fan, Pepe Kalle, Tabuley.. a lot more.

  I really think Penagone by 4X4 was like a soundtrack for the Congolese community emigrating to the US at the time, like a coming of age and youth culture kinda thing. I was more attached to Werrason Maison Mere more than anything, especially the first generation line up. They almost seemed too good to be true. I played the Solola Bien, Operation Dragon and A queue la Leu leu VHS tapes to death kiekiekie. I'm pretty sure I tuned out BCBG considering I don't remember much about JB. Lots of Makoma, Matou Samuel when my uncle came to the states, I really got into Franco/OK Jazz my 1st year of HS.