Why did the songs of Abilissi and Sonor Digital not make it in the Shalai-VHS ? Was it due to Abilissi departure or were both guys punished ? On which moment did the VHS come out and when did they return to Brazzaville ? because it seems that they became Paris-based during the Etat-Major and Shalai era, when following different archives and interviews that were made at that time.

Did Kila Mbongo receive 12 from Roga and Espe to not participate in the footage that was recorded in Brazzaville ? Because he's not present in any image that was recorded there. Also on which moment did Abilissi leave Extra Musica, because apart from the generique he's not present in the remaining clips of Shalai made in Europe ? But on the same moment he was present during new-year event in Equatorial Guinee were different artist signed to JPS Production performed



Some of those Brazza-journalist needs to contact Abilissi to talk about his career. Because he's the only one from the Extra-Clan that had done interviews to talk about his past in Extra Musica

Talking about the clips itself. I found funny how Papy Jah one day explained that Horizon 2000 was recorded just random and them taking randomly people to participate, something that would be impossible today with all that professionalism that the public is asking

The clip of Amnisitie Shalai was revolutionary for that time. Jean Pierre Saah put alot of money it it and Didier Dingalt Ping did a great job. He was btw the same guy that made Kaokokorobo for Papa Wemba, Papa Wemba even received a trophee for it at AfriCar Awards in 1996 as best clip, the trophee had normally to go to Sica Production of Didier Ping in western logic.



I wonder if the car-drivers in Chateau Rouge weren't mad for the way Extra Musica kept them blocked in the streets when dancing to the sebene of Laissez Passer hahahha. What is the shop called where they recorded Laissez Passer, it seems that many artists from Brazzaville recorded clips in that shop.

Btw did Oxygene not became sick after eating those leaves during the Zineba-clip ?

It seems like Abilissi left before the clips were filmed. The generique clip was filmed during the US tour in July of 1999 and in Autumn for Paris shoots. The shop in which they’ve filmed Laissez Passer is named Zio Ernesto, it’s still open till this day.

I think Extra was based in Brazzaville because in many interviews it has been said that Kila spent many times in Europe and having to join them in case of tours or other kind of trips

Talking about the US-tour. I remember Martin Sinnock being present at one of their US-concerts, I think Washington D.C. He interviewed Roga Roga before the concert to post it on his website. Roga Roga was hyping Shalai up, saying that it would be the album of 2000 and adding that they would mix it with salsa, popmusic, etc. This made Martin having high exceptions, thinking that the album would totally different from ndombolo-genre, only to be dissapointed on end lol. Later on he made an article with reviews from albums that got released towards the end of 1999 and him stating that Shalai was a great album, but that he was still dissapointed because of believing in Roga Roga's words, which made his exceptations being to high. It's such a shame that Martin Sinnock's website dissapeared. It had great articles, interviews and reviews of concerts.



It's then probably a 12 that Abilissi received from his colleagues, because he was there at the new millenium 2000 festival in Bata. I am really curious what led to his departure. The song Losambo and the Etat Major made him get a huge name



I think that it was Arafat who said that, that Kila Mbongo wasn't coming when they prepared Trop c'est Trop in Brazzaville. If I remember well, Kila Mbongo said that, when they were in Europe, he was living on his own with his ex'wife, while Extra Musica was staying at their place in Paris (during the preparations of Shalai as well) and that he decided to leave during the tour that came after Zenith, only to rejoin them for a concert in Abidjan, after that the first one flopped and two that they did in Niamey, when coming from Europe.

I don't know where I can find the interview, but on Tiktok there was an interview that Extra Musica did at RFI with Claudy Siar, shortly after the release of Shalai and Claudy saying that they were based in Paris. It could also be that they were on Europe tour at that moment and their base being Paris. But it's rare to see bands touring in Europe ealier than 6 months after the release of their album. Years ago Sonor said that when they came for the recordings of Etat Major, he signed himself up at a music conservatory and them returing when the Fespam took place in August 1999. But it could also be that he forgot many points or returned a few times to Brazzaville, because how could they  otherwise prepared Shalai in such short time with different tour-dates in Africa, US and Europe and stolen Arafat 2500 volts from Extra Musica International.