i am sure it will be very funny,zoe's face alone is funny like the one of sampaio

Something to watch tonight. Vieux Kes's stories are always hilarious.

This interview is very interesting.. Kester was considered as a God with these singers.

it's sad that they cannot enjoy the success of Longue Histoire.

I wonder how Kester made so many bad choices at that time.

Ado confused Dream Team with Victoria Eleison Dream Team Dream Band, when asking about the generic that recorded when they left that Koffi took in Generation Bercy.

I excepted that Zoe Bella would explain how he, Sweet Elesse and Eric Masudi ended up by returning to Victoria Eleison and everything went until he left for the second time in 2006 during the recordings of Le Jour le Plus Long. But Ado didn't ask him about that.

This interview is very interesting.. Kester was considered as a God with these singers.

it's sad that they cannot enjoy the success of Longue Histoire.

I wonder how Kester made so many bad choices at that time.

Emeneya was afraid that they would create another band or run away once being in Europe, because of the way he used to treat them in Kinshasa. Like for example when Emeneya arrived in United States, he realized that his band could turn against him, having already the experience of staying with the old Victoria Eleison for 7 years in Europe. Because the contract that they had was to tour for 1 year in the United States with the possibility to go multiple times to Europe for concerts like Defao's Big Star. Emeneya changed his mind and decided to not respect the contract, deciding to abandon Mbuta Bass, Zoe Bella and Guy Moller who went with him to New York and go back Europe to do the mix of Longue Histoire which wasn't on the market yet. Later on he brought the main musicians of Victoria Eleison to Kenya, giving them the false hope that they would join Zoe and co in New York. But the tour didn't go well and he ended up by abandoning them for like 6/7 months. But in the press he came with false accusations, saying that  tour-promoter wanted to use Victoria Eleison to bring his ngulu's, when being asked why Victoria Eleison didn't tour in the US. It's just that Zoe Bella didn't reveal how he, Mbuta Bass and Guy Moller suffered in New York after that Emeneya abandoned them there otherwise people would be really shocked.

the strange thing is that all musicians who have a strong team or a strong potential team like the two generation of ppu,always end up making mistakes at crucial moment which make them lose all the talents in short time its like the leaders at some point lose control and instead of making the step forwards towards their musicians to satisfy them they actually go the opposite way to frustrate them even more

This interview is very interesting.. Kester was considered as a God with these singers.

it's sad that they cannot enjoy the success of Longue Histoire.

I wonder how Kester made so many bad choices at that time.

Emeneya was afraid that they would create another band or run away once being in Europe, because of the way he used to treat them in Kinshasa. Like for example when Emeneya arrived in United States, he realized that his band could turn against him, having already the experience of staying with the old Victoria Eleison for 7 years in Europe. Because the contract that they had was to tour for 1 year in the United States with the possibility to go multiple times to Europe for concerts like Defao's Big Star. Emeneya changed his mind and decided to not respect the contract, deciding to abandon Mbuta Bass, Zoe Bella and Guy Moller who went with him to New York and go back Europe to do the mix of Longue Histoire which wasn't on the market yet. Later on he brought the main musicians of Victoria Eleison to Kenya, giving them the false hope that they would join Zoe and co in New York. But the tour didn't go well and he ended up by abandoning them for like 6/7 months. But in the press he came with false accusations, saying that  tour-promoter wanted to use Victoria Eleison to bring his ngulu's, when being asked why Victoria Eleison didn't tour in the US. It's just that Zoe Bella didn't reveal how he, Mbuta Bass and Guy Moller suffered in New York after that Emeneya abandoned them there otherwise people would be really shocked.

Why was Kester treating them bad in Kinshasa to begin with? This is the same team that gave him a second chance at fame with the success of Mboka Mboka and Longue Histoire.

Do you believe they would have abandoned Kester if he respected the USA contract and Kenya? Each team is different, he should of learned from the mistakes that broke up the original team of Victoria Ellison. I feel like Kester sabotaged his own career

In Kinshasa they see it as normal, but for Western norms its bad. Emeneya was not a bad person, its just bandleaders act like that thiking that it will make their musicians having discipline and not being big headed. Almost every band in Kinshasa was like that and Emeneya's musicians were also cool with it until they got enough. It was Emeneya's staff King Ranch that used to give them a hard time. Emeneya himself would often have conversations with them and some musicians even living with him him at King Ranch. The difference with other bands was that Victoria hadn't enough support, they had just support from a few donors, while other bands had multiple which made it easier for rivals to calm their musicians down compared to Victoria. Also them not touring to Europe while for example Nouvelle Ecriture already went 3 times (1998, 1999 & 2000), musicians they know from streetbands and later playing for Wenge Maison Mere & Quartier Latin  coming back with expensive cars made the musicians of Victoria Eleison hit very hard mentally, because they were not really progressing. At the same time they spent 2 years long to record Longue Histoire while other bands already released 2/3 albums in that time and fans being tired for waiting so long.

The old Victoria Eleison that stayed in Europe didn't broke up in Europe. The story of Victoria Eleison is very long and it was orginaly also not Emeneya's band. But to explain it's short, towards the end 80s Emeneya became the sole leader. Having only the co-founders Pinos Tembo (who used to play bass), guitarist Santana Mongoley who just returned and guitarist Safro Manzangi with him. Emeneya wanted really to be only one and have total control over money of the band. He was already preparing reserve-musicians to replace them and manipulate them to disrespect them. In 1991, Emeneya finally managed to get his band in Europe after 4 years absence. He left Pinos behind to bring his backup Fellyko Mbuji Mayi to Europe. They toured in Europe, went to South Corea, Japan, Canada and the United States. In meantime he succeed in take Santana Mongoley out of the band (he fought with Emeneya's bodyguard) and Safro Manzangi. Because of political unrest in Zaire, problems with label-owner Verckys, wanting an international career like Papa Wemba, etc. Emeneya preferred to settle his band in France. But during his time in France, his musicians started openly to disrespect him and some even insulting him. Something that was impossible during the era that the co-founders were around, because they were like a barrier for Emeneya. So it was difficult to criticize him openly. During his stay in Europe, his musicians started to leave one by one. Victoria was also performing less with the years coming, albums flopping and them often having to get session-musicians for concerts. In 1997 they were only left with 4 (Malembe Chant, Mabusele, Auguy Lutula and Danny Takezo). For them 4 only 2 returned back to Kinshasa for the concerts at Palais du Peuple, Stade des Martyrs and YMCA.

With recruiting musicians of a different generation and already hearing how it's difficult to handle them during tours. He preferred to treat them like that. When they went to Europe for Zenith and Olympia, he decided to not being stingy with money and decided to get all money of the concerts to buy cars for his musicians. But he was still afraid that they would run away. So instead of 9 months, they stayed for 2 years in Europe. Despite, having paid more than 12 cars. Some singers weren't happy of not having a song in Nouvel Ordre, thinking that the story about cars was fake and preferring to stay. Others weren't happy with the money the received when they were about to return. Once the musicians of Victoria Eleison who were loyal returned to Kinshasa and received their cars, the musicians that stayed in Europe realized that they were wrong and the musicians (Sweet Elesse and co) that returned getting those cars. Pompom Miyake being the only singer that returned from Zenith-tour along with Spino who rejoined after leaving Wenge Tonya Tonya in Europe.