I am sorry he died soon and poor even though he was one of the richest Congolese singer in his prime RIP KING

I am sorry he died soon and poor even though he was one of the richest Congolese singer in his prime RIP KING

Emeneya wasn't tje richest Congolese singer in his prime (1982-1988). When he was on the top he didn't really get money because he had a slave contract with VEVE, like other artists who signed there. He didn't get the rolayties of those songs who were released under the name of Veve. Because his contract was getting instruments from VEVE for free and his songs being VEVE's property and getting his royalties after 100 years!!!!. Which is very sad because 80% of his hitssongs are from the years 1982 until 1988. Emeneya was only getting money from concerts and his contract with primus, but back in the days it was almost peannuts. With Zaïre having a big crisis and Congolese artists not touring like they are doing now, since there were not alot Congolese people in Europe. They were only spending 45 days there. Performing in Brussels, Paris, Liege, Charleroi and sometimes Geneve. Those concerts where mostly in cafe's or little musichalls. Emenya toured only 2 times in Europe (1984 and 1986-1987) when he was on his prime with Victoria Eleison. Back in the day no one of the starts in Zaïre where rich (except Veve aka Verckys Kiamuangana, Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley) the rest were normal, somewhere even still living in their parents house. But thing which is that Emeneya was along with Koffi the first guy who went get a bigger house, while the rest still living in small houses. Papa Wemba wasn't also rich when he was on his prime (1977-1982)  and the year after that until he went in to Paris in 1987. He was living in Molokai. Which explain a little bit why he was stingy. Having already alot of kids and having to feed his family in Kinshasa and Kasai. Back in the days Congolese musicians where like gigolo's. They were getting money from prositues and those girls who were there fans. Sharoufa who was Wemba's 2nd wife contributed alot in Viva La Musica. In that era mabanga's was just for free and for people who were very close to them. Alot didn't want to be associated with it because it were mostly thugs who were getting a shout-out. Viva La Musica and Victoria Eleison were associated to gangsters. Zaiko was seen as a band of models, since 1975 after the departure of the ISIFI-guys (Wemba,Evoloko, Bozi and Mavuela). Being close to youngsters from Kalina/Gombe. Nyoka Longo married the daugther of Moleka. But they weren't rich like the guys of their generation.

Things started to change for Congolese artists when Emeneya was living abroad (1991-1997) with the guys of Wenge 4x4 starting to buy and build villa's in Ma Campagn, Koffi following them with Wemba getting a villa as gift from Skol in 1993 after a tour. It was very big mistake of Emeneya to live abroad for so long. It almost killed his career with the gap between Wenge, Papa Wemba (who went to settle in Paris, because of him) and  Koffi (who was back in 1988 nothing in terms of popularity) and Wenge being to big. He did everything to get his place back, but it was so difficult (his friends Wemba, Koffi not wanting to see him succeed and calling his concert-promoters to not let him perform. How witchcrift became stronger and stronger in the music-scene which he wasn't used to, the way his band split). From 2000 Emeneya was putting all the money he was getting from concerts, albums, mabanga's,matolo on his villa Maison Blanche. Which didn't really please his musicians who were starting to get unpaid for months and his wife/wife's who couldn't buy expensive clohts anymore. Just because he wanted to prove all the leaders a point, by building a villa bigger than them. Since that they were mocking him that he didn't had a villa.

Look how Maison Blanche looks now

Emeneya was very funny he needed to start a carreer as an actor. I liked all his interviews. Papa Wemba's death made people forget about him quickly. Emeneya died to early. He had to rest, but he needed the money and started to give concerts in DR Congo against the will of his doctor. His wife was very angry and cried every day with some close people trying to change Emeneya's idae to return to Congo. But he was didn't want to listen. The which me chocked was the way he returned quickly to be present at PPRD's meeting at Stade des Martyrs in 2011 for the elections, while just came out of the hospital some months before and  his son being badly injured in Afghanistan. He looked very tired and didn't perform, but just returned to get money.

@mvulusi96

That explains the defection of his orchestra shortly after the release of Longue Histoire, I remember being dissapointed when I noticed Guy Moller, Eric Masudi, and Sampayo were absent from Zenith of 2001.

By design, the music business requires legacy artist to tour regularly to make steady income (especially when they don't have access to royalties). Kester suffered later in life because his recent releases weren't popular enough to secure upscale endorsements, so he really had to push himself in terms of concerts. Which is sad considering his bad health before he died...

@mvulusi96

That explains the defection of his orchestra shortly after the release of Longue Histoire, I remember being dissapointed when I noticed Guy Moller, Eric Masudi, and Sampayo were absent from Zenith of 2001.

By design, the music business requires legacy artist to tour regularly to make steady income (especially when they don't have access to royalties). Kester suffered later in life because his recent releases weren't popular enough to secure upscale endorsements, so he really had to push himself in terms of concerts. Which is sad considering his bad health before he died...

Yes that explains why Zoé Bella,Sweet Elese and co left 1 year after Longue Histoire. I was dissaointed too because i really like that Dream Team Dream Band team i always thought if they stayed longer they would give hard compétition to "le carré magique" (Maison Mère-BCBG-Quartier Latin-Nouvelle Écriture) just listen to Mboka Mboka.

About Guy Moller and co leaving was not only about the money, but also the way they weren't touring in Europe with guys from other bands (Maison Mere, QL, Nouvelle Ecriture and BCBG) mocking them. Also the staff of Kester (King Boys) were giving them a hard. Them 1 year after the release of Longue Histoire, Kester annouced his concert at Zenith. With Koffi & Wemba not being happy with it so they started to send guys to Kester's musicians to manipulate them to leave. Which also happened. Then he after the split they started to call Felix Petit to cancel that concert, since that Emeneya is finished that he wouldn't be able to fill that hall, etc. Felix Petit was about to cancel that concert and called Emeneya, then Emeneya said that he would perform for free and that he can hold his money. Then Petit Felix suprised to how Emeneya's concert was sold out. With him feeling guilty and said to Emeneya that he can use that footage of that concert. The same Koffi and Wemba who called Felix Petit were present in Zenith, but didn't visit or talk to Kester. Emeneya didn't benefit from Europe-tour he made in 2001-02. He was holding concerts for his musicians with the money of the concert he bought expensive cars for each member to keep them happy. Emeneya spended 1 year and 2 months in Europe (with the visums already being expired), in order to make the musicians homesick. But he did it for nothing. The most musicians refused to return, because they wanted to bring their cars first in Matadi before they would return. To be sure that they would ride in those cars in Kinshasa and compete the musicians of QL, Nouvelle Ecriture and Maison Mere. Emeneya signed after Olympia with the big musiclabel Sony BMG/Lusafrica and wanted to record a solo album. But his musicians were furious and imposed him to record a bandalbum first called Nouvel Ordre. The album flopped with the most musicians being in Europe and Emeneya in Kinshasa who had the recruit new musicians for the 3th time. The flop of that album made him lost the contract he had with Sony BMG/Lusafrica. From 2003 until 2007 he struggled very hard and Wemba with Koffi mocking him. Nobody who wanted to sign contracts with him. The guy who was saving him the most times was Didi Kinuani. Then he had also problems with his ex'wife Liliane who was furious the way he was cheating him with Florence, which led to a divorce. With Wemba and his staff were hearing about that trying to get her for those kindoki-stuff. Zoe Bella & Sweet Elesse tried to rebuild Victoria Eleison after that things didn't went well with their band. Sampaio went to Nouvelle Ecriture, leaving Guy Moller alone. They started to work on Avantage ya Goal Average, which would become Le Jour Le Plus Long. After the release of Le Jour Le Plus Long he brought his band to Olympia and toured in Europe and Canada. But then again all musicians stayed in Europe, except Zozo Malaba "Eau Potable" (R.I.P.) who was there since 1997. This all disappointed Emeneya, he return to Kinshasa and had to recruit new musicians for the 4th. Working then on Match Eza Who, but than he got ill with all those health problems starting and almost died in 2010 with nobody visiting him. Only people who were close to him, Rouph Mbuta Nganga and Myra Ndjoku (R.I.P.).

He really had it rough...smh. Sad!

indeed the second part of kester's career was full of drama,having to recruit almost a full band 3 4  times,his two divorces leading to public mockery and a loss of motivation for music at times,his first hospital spell,then like mvulusi said he rushed back to kin for kabila's party congress knowing he could get some much needed money thanks to muzito "mfumumpa" and evariste boshab and also there was that concert with jb mpiana which was planned(with jb saying he'd join victoria as a member for 3 months to emulate his idol papa wemba who abandoned viva to join afrisa for a moment),and which was back then one of the biggest amount ever from a local concert should the concert happen but then his health went down again,and he went back to europe

The challenges were just too overwhelming for him...
Only if he didnt have to go through all this....really sad!

There is one of his videos I watched some years back where he sang in English. I guess that video was shot in South Africa. I like it.

@mvulusi96

What ever became of Guy Moller and Willy Ebondaki after departing from Kester?

I was surprised Guy Moller wasn't quickly recruited by another group, because his animations for Longue Histoire were impressive!

guy started a group which had the likes of bercy  muana and many who ended up in big groups,and now he is in lubumbashi doing his thing there and in some austral african countries thanks to his reference of ex kester musician
as for willy ebondaki he is in europe working and playing for fun as far is now

About Guy Moller and co leaving was not only about the money, but also the way they weren't touring in Europe with guys from other bands (Maison Mere, QL, Nouvelle Ecriture and BCBG) mocking them. Also the staff of Kester (King Boys) were giving them a hard. Them 1 year after the release of Longue Histoire, Kester annouced his concert at Zenith. With Koffi & Wemba not being happy with it so they started to send guys to Kester's musicians to manipulate them to leave. Which also happened. Then he after the split they started to call Felix Petit to cancel that concert, since that Emeneya is finished that he wouldn't be able to fill that hall, etc. Felix Petit was about to cancel that concert and called Emeneya, then Emeneya said that he would perform for free and that he can hold his money. Then Petit Felix suprised to how Emeneya's concert was sold out. With him feeling guilty and said to Emeneya that he can use that footage of that concert. The same Koffi and Wemba who called Felix Petit were present in Zenith, but didn't visit or talk to Kester. Emeneya didn't benefit from Europe-tour he made in 2001-02. He was holding concerts for his musicians with the money of the concert he bought expensive cars for each member to keep them happy. Emeneya spended 1 year and 2 months in Europe (with the visums already being expired), in order to make the musicians homesick. But he did it for nothing. The most musicians refused to return, because they wanted to bring their cars first in Matadi before they would return. To be sure that they would ride in those cars in Kinshasa and compete the musicians of QL, Nouvelle Ecriture and Maison Mere. Emeneya signed after Olympia with the big musiclabel Sony BMG/Lusafrica and wanted to record a solo album. But his musicians were furious and imposed him to record a bandalbum first called Nouvel Ordre. The album flopped with the most musicians being in Europe and Emeneya in Kinshasa who had the recruit new musicians for the 3th time. The flop of that album made him lost the contract he had with Sony BMG/Lusafrica. From 2003 until 2007 he struggled very hard and Wemba with Koffi mocking him. Nobody who wanted to sign contracts with him. The guy who was saving him the most times was Didi Kinuani. Then he had also problems with his ex'wife Liliane who was furious the way he was cheating him with Florence, which led to a divorce. With Wemba and his staff were hearing about that trying to get her for those kindoki-stuff. Zoe Bella & Sweet Elesse tried to rebuild Victoria Eleison after that things didn't went well with their band. Sampaio went to Nouvelle Ecriture, leaving Guy Moller alone. They started to work on Avantage ya Goal Average, which would become Le Jour Le Plus Long. After the release of Le Jour Le Plus Long he brought his band to Olympia and toured in Europe and Canada. But then again all musicians stayed in Europe, except Zozo Malaba "Eau Potable" (R.I.P.) who was there since 1997. This all disappointed Emeneya, he return to Kinshasa and had to recruit new musicians for the 4th. Working then on Match Eza Who, but than he got ill with all those health problems starting and almost died in 2010 with nobody visiting him. Only people who were close to him, Rouph Mbuta Nganga and Myra Ndjoku (R.I.P.).

That's why it took so long to release Le Jour Le Plus Long. I remember he announced this album back in 2004. He didn't release it because he didn't have any contract then right ?
Pompon Miyake, Sweet Elese and Zoé Bella left in 2006 they were tired of waiting. Guy Moller released an album in 2006. The title of that album is Mot De Passe. I have been told in this forum that Zoé,Sampaio and co relesed an album in 2002 with a generique who sampled some parts of Génération Bercy (which created a polemic) but that album dissapeares quickly mysteriously. I would be great if someone upload that album because i don't know anything about it (title,release date ect).

Once again RIP Mtu wa Zamani, He was too good to be a musician. Thanks Mvulusi for the good knowledge.