According to Champion himself, he didn’t stay long in Wenge BCBG because apart from the boss, almost nobody in the band liked him. I don’t know exactly what happened, but he didn’t even finish the short tour BCBG had in Europe (2002). Instead, he showed up at Koffi’s press conference in Paris in the summer of 2002, where he announced his return to Quartier Latin.

When Quartier Latin arrived in Europe, Champion had to meet Titina and Cambodge to discuss how to share the roles. However, Titina and Cambodge didn’t want to have a third drummer. So when Champion came for the conversation, Cambodge immediately confronted him and since both men already disliked each other, it turned into a fight. Champion left the hotel angry and disappointed.

Shortly afterward, he also tried to meet Nyoka Longo to join Zaïko, but Nyoka Longo refused, since all the musicians who had come from Quartier Latin (Rocky Blanchard, Willy Bula, Rosette Kamono and the late Yoto Nkelani) had ended up disappointing him. This situation forced Champion to put his full-time music career on hold and start looking for another job, while in the meantime doing studio work backing different artists (such as Savanet Depitcho on his album Projecteur, and comedian Siatula on his album Affair Ngulu, among others).

With the boost he received from Champion's initial departure, the success of Effrakata and the subsequent tours, it's understandable that Cambodge would be very much against Champion's return.

I heard that Champion kinda forced Koffi's hand in being sidelined during the recording for Effrakata, wasn't he abusing the privilege of being #2 guy on Quartier Latin by showing up late to rehearsals? If you see their preparation videos for the album, it's Cambodge doing a lot of the drums and Champion chilling with the singers

Hahaha just say that I once said that Champion was abusing the privilege as Chef d' Orchestre ? Yes, it's true that he was sometimes exaggerating with his position, by acting like he was Koffi but not to an extend to kill the band. Many weren't just liking the way Champion became a bit big headed and taking his n2 role to seriously.

Koffi is the person who decides who has to drum. For example, when Champion joined. Koffi prefered him above Coco Tchomba and often asked Champion to continue, when he was on the drums. It had nothing to do with Champion being lazy. On another side it was also a way to promote Cambodge to the people living in Europe.

The conflict of Cambodge and Champion did not really had the do with the succes of Effrakata. Both guys were already not liking each other before the recording of Effrakata. There often confrontation between both guys. During Covid Cambodge said in an interview with Ado Yuhe that Champion spiritually attacked him when they were preparing Effrakata at Maman Amy's, also that Rocky Blanchard and Eric Tutsi adviced him to show the warts he had to Champion to counter it.

Champion participated to the recording of Effrakata, where he had to share the role with Cambodge. The thing was that Koffi wanted Cambodge to play two generiques, because he came with Kakol's drumming style. Champion couldn't accept that, walked angry away from the studio and also didn't start showing up anymore in concerts until the day he made the declaration that he had joined Wenge BCBG. Then when they were about to mix, Titina ended up by accepting the offer Koffi gave him to join Quartier Latin after that Wenge BCBG travelled without him to Canada. This made Koffi decided to erase Champion's contribution and let Titina play those songs (songs like Ravisse and Suivez le Guide). Although having joined Quartier Latin, guys like Fally and Jordan influenced Cambodge to not accept Titina, which led to several incidents. For example, Cambodge often not wanting to hand the sticks to Titina or sometimes openly disrespect him. Until this day Cambodge has sometimes moments in interviews that he ignores Titina or respects him.

Hahaha just say that I once said that Champion was abusing the privilege as Chef d' Orchestre ? Yes, it's true that he was sometimes exaggerating with his position, by acting like he was Koffi but not to an extend to kill the band. Many weren't just liking the way Champion became a bit big headed and taking his n2 role to seriously.

Koffi is the person who decides who has to drum. For example, when Champion joined. Koffi prefered him above Coco Tchomba and often asked Champion to continue, when he was on the drums. It had nothing to do with Champion being lazy. On another side it was also a way to promote Cambodge to the people living in Europe.

The conflict of Cambodge and Champion did not really had the do with the succes of Effrakata. Both guys were already not liking each other before the recording of Effrakata. There often confrontation between both guys. During Covid Cambodge said in an interview with Ado Yuhe that Champion spiritually attacked him when they were preparing Effrakata at Maman Amy's, also that Rocky Blanchard and Eric Tutsi adviced him to show the warts he had to Champion to counter it.

Champion participated to the recording of Effrakata, where he had to share the role with Cambodge. The thing was that Koffi wanted Cambodge to play two generiques, because he came with Kakol's drumming style. Champion couldn't accept that, walked angry away from the studio and also didn't start showing up anymore in concerts until the day he made the declaration that he had joined Wenge BCBG. Then when they were about to mix, Titina ended up by accepting the offer Koffi gave him to join Quartier Latin after that Wenge BCBG travelled without him to Canada. This made Koffi decided to erase Champion's contribution and let Titina play those songs (songs like Ravisse and Suivez le Guide). Although having joined Quartier Latin, guys like Fally and Jordan influenced Cambodge to not accept Titina, which led to several incidents. For example, Cambodge often not wanting to hand the sticks to Titina or sometimes openly disrespect him. Until this day Cambodge has sometimes moments in interviews that he ignores Titina or respects him.

When established band members disrespect new recruits, does the boss know? Like Babia vs Bouro, Savanet vs QL during Droit de Veto, and Amelia joining WMM...does the leader know the extent of their displeasure or is it a tension that eventually boils over?

Because you'll see videos where they'll deny sharing mics, instruments, or even the bodyguards will block new singers from rehearsals. Isn't that insubordination against the boss? You're basically saying, "you might of hired him, but he's not really apart of this orchestra". I would be nervous that too public s display of discord within the group could lead to suspensions.

I'm guessing that's why they had to unify around a chef or favorite member to bully someone out of the group to protect themselves from reprisal. Fally, Jipson, and a few others also were behind Papy Jah getting refused

It's mostly when it's the other way around that the boss knows, because the boss wanting to force the veteran out. Like what happened to Didier Masela, Adolphe Dominguez, Kabose and Aimelia in Wenge Maison Mere. I believe that when established band members attack a new recruit, they know it as well, but they don’t do anything about it because they don’t want to lose the guys. The Babia vs Bouro situation wasn’t really a war. It was just Babia making micro-attacks (comments, a bit of bullying, etc.), but Bouro Mpela didn’t care, and when they came back from Europe, they became friends. Some new recruits have the chance to become immediately the boss favorite. Bill Clinton for example immediately started living in Werrason's house when he got recruited. The same for Bizima Kodos when he got recruited in Wenge El Paris, who started to live in Marie Paul's house.

In reality, Werrason didn’t really need Aimelia. It was just that he joined through Didi Kinuani’s recommendation. At that  time, Adjani wasn’t really giving the 100% anymore, so Aimelia gradually took his place. Didier Lacoste’s departure later gave him the chance to fully establish himself in Maison Mere. There were stories that Werrason wanted revenge for the comments Aimelia used to make on TV (like "ouais, ndenge ezali," etc.), how Aimelia bought the same car as him and how he used to downplay Maison Mere on TV when he was with Wenge BCBG. But people changed his mind. However, Aimelia did receive a lot of 12 from guys like Ferre and Baby Ndombe. There was a moment during their last concert of the Bercy tour in Paris, where Werrason, I believe during the song Coco Madimba, suddenly asked if Aimelia liked him and you could see from Aimelia's facial expression that he felt akward and embarrassed.

When the guys from Academia left, Koffi would often praise Depitcho and claimed that he understood why Sam, Bouro and others left. He would do the same with JF Ifonge, claiming on TV that Sam Tshintu didn’t want to accept JF Ifonge into Quartier Latin. In JF Ifonge’s recent interviews, he claims that Koffi wanted to use him to rival him against Savanet Depitcho, that they would dump Depitcho in Europe, since that leaving behind in Kinshasa would be to dangerous with the influence he had and that JF would take his role, once Depitcho had left. He also said that it was part of Koffi’s philosophy. When someone reaches the top, Koffi tries to diminish them by promoting someone else or creating a rivalry. I think what JF said is true, since that JF Ifonge had a profile similar to Depitcho’s. He wasn’t a sapeur, but he came from Europe like him and had that stage-presence.

Papy Jah’s case was more about guys like Jipson and Soleil Wanga not wanting a tenorist. Several guys joined Quartier Latin to do Babia’s role, but they left quickly because of the hard time they were given. Paparazzi and Lady Miyembe are the only known artists who went through that situation. Papy Jah could stay, but he was scared of Soleil, who asked him if he was using witchcraft and said he could do demonstrations. Fally later backed Soleil, fearing that Papy Jah would become Koffi’s favorite because of his voice being a bit similar to Ferre and him knowing how to dance compared to Mustapha, Babia and Eric Tutsi who had difficulties with. So, Fally confronted Koffi openly in the studio, saying that Koffi was copying Wenge Maison Mere by taking Kerozene to Europe just because he animates like Bill Clinton, Cambodge because he drums like Kakol and now him wanting Papy Jah because of singing like Ferre. Papy Jah then left Quartier Latin after that incident in the studio.