:'( I am sorry he died soon and poor even though he was one of the richest Congolese singer in his prime :'( RIP KING
@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...
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.).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff4s_MZPHq0
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.).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff4s_MZPHq0
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).
@masatomo
Since Kester has passed on, how is his family doing? Did he leave behind any assets like Maison Blanche? I know he struggled at the very end to make ends meet, but hopefully he had some funds set aside.
What exactly made him so sick his last days? I hear that he had asthma or heart problems, which one was it? Or he did he suffer from both? I know he was a smoker, which likely contributed to his poor health later in life.
@masatomo
Since Kester has passed on, how is his family doing? Did he leave behind any assets like Maison Blanche? I know he struggled at the very end to make ends meet, but hopefully he had some funds set aside.
What exactly made him so sick his last days? I hear that he had asthma or heart problems, which one was it? Or he did he suffer from both? I know he was a smoker, which likely contributed to his poor health later in life.
Family isn't doing so well as there was a huge fallout between his wife Florence, his extended family, and his ex-wife Lilian. Florence was always viewed as a "home-wrecker". Also, Kester didn't leave behind a real will or that much of an estate for the family. It's extremely complicated saga, so it's not my place to air all the family business.
I saw a recent interview of Florence not too long ago, and she was finally smiling again, after the few years of sadness she went through.
He had both life-long asthma and later heart problems. Also people close to him said he had strong case of depression, particularly after his son Kevin was paralyzed serving the French military in Afghanistan. If you watch some of his interview you can sense it when he's not bantering.
When I remember the things he went through, I feel really bad.
Maison blanche is in ruins (@Mvulusi posted the footage earlier) as a result of the family feud. They could not establish who would take ownership, so it's an abandoned mess worth nothing now. It was a amazing looking house when he presented it, but it was like Versailles and Louis XIII (the way all money spent on it led to his downfall) or Mobutu and his Gbadolite mega mansion
Although liwa is invitable, both Kester & Wemba might've lived longer if they listened to doctor's orders and taken an extended musical break. Sadly, both needed the income so they kept going.
The person I really fear for is Nyoka Longo. Right now he looks like Wemba in his later years with the same swollen belly. And he’s still performing almost every weekend
every weekend? 3 to 4 times a week bro,no group in DRC performs as much as zaiko
every weekend? 3 to 4 times a week bro,no group in DRC performs as much as zaiko
@masatomo
Since Kester has passed on, how is his family doing? Did he leave behind any assets like Maison Blanche? I know he struggled at the very end to make ends meet, but hopefully he had some funds set aside.
What exactly made him so sick his last days? I hear that he had asthma or heart problems, which one was it? Or he did he suffer from both? I know he was a smoker, which likely contributed to his poor health later in life.
Family isn't doing so well as there was a huge fallout between his wife Florence, his extended family, and his ex-wife Lilian. Florence was always viewed as a "home-wrecker". Also, Kester didn't leave behind a real will or that much of an estate for the family. It's extremely complicated saga, so it's not my place to air all the family business.
I saw a recent interview of Florence not too long ago, and she was finally smiling again, after the few years of sadness she went through.
He had both life-long asthma and later heart problems. Also people close to him said he had strong case of depression, particularly after his son Kevin was paralyzed serving the French military in Afghanistan. If you watch some of his interview you can sense it when he's not bantering.
When I remember the things he went through, I feel really bad.
Maison blanche is in ruins (@Mvulusi posted the footage earlier) as a result of the family feud. They could not establish who would take ownership, so it's an abandoned mess worth nothing now. It was a amazing looking house when he presented it, but it was like Versailles and Louis XIII (the way all money spent on it led to his downfall) or Mobutu and his Gbadolite mega mansion
Although liwa is invitable, both Kester & Wemba might've lived longer if they listened to doctor's orders and taken an extended musical break. Sadly, both needed the income so they kept going.
That's the saddest part of the music industry. Most of these musicians have to keep touring even when they old, tired and sc-ick because it's their only source of income.
And it's not for congolese only : look at Johnny Haliday, he was obliged to tour because it was his only source of income. Michael jackson died in the same conditions.
Koffi might end in the same situation... I hope not.
Jb and Werra seem to have a lot of money and sources of income outside of music, so they might be good.
Poor Kester. If you look at his talent, he did not have the career he deserved. That Europe break really killed him.
Those congolese musicians who are so happy to sign in those big label will have a rude awakening.
every weekend? 3 to 4 times a week bro,no group in DRC performs as much as zaiko
Are the performances bringing in real money or are the local pub kind of perfomance?
every weekend? 3 to 4 times a week bro,no group in DRC performs as much as zaiko
Are the performances bringing in real money or are the local pub kind of perfomance?
very lucrative,there is always like 2 private concerts for a minister,a bank director,a big businessman overall one primus concert were you already got paid in the contract and you just have to go and perform for a low entrance fee,and one sunday concert with 10 20 dollars or 50 max entrance fee,there is even a week in which they performed 5 days two wedding partys,birthday,popular concert plus a vip one