After some research I did. Werrason didn't perform 5 times at Stade des Martyrs, but 4. The extract in Zacharie Bababaswe's videotape about Kalombo and Maluma's debate was ADFL's 1th anniversary celebration at Stade des Martyrs in May 1998, to celebrate the way they took power in 1997, inviting multiple artists. If you look the video well you will see L.D. Kabila being written in red below the stage and those famous ADFL flags being on stage.

The other one event at Stade des Martyrs showed in the Mbongé documentary was Pepe Kalle's mouring at the stadium with also artists participating and after Werra's show all public going back home, while there were still artists programmed to perform. This then also confirmed immediately Werra's succes.


First concert of Werrason at Stade des Martyrs in 1999. It was also the most expensive one did made in his career. It could maybe also be expensiver than the one of King Kester Emeneya in 1997 and Koffi Olomide in 1999. But I don't know the prices. The event was 15 Franc Congolais. Back then 1 Franc Congolais was with currency of 1998 1,3 dollar worth, which means that it was like 11/12 dollars. Extracts were showed in the Mbongé documentary. But many things went wrong, Werrason was on the last minute not allowed to enter with his helicopter in the stadium and had to land with it outside. After performing 4 tracks, there was a power failure which forced them to stop the concert. The public then becoming mad and soldiers started to shoot. a big mess. The stadium was filled was filled for 80%. It was back then a record because Emeneya only did 60% and that of Koffi was a big fiasco.



from 25:30


I don't know if there is an official VHS of this show. Some say that it don't exist because of the conflict of Claude Maluma against JPS Production and Werrason. But there is the existence of the show they did at the parking of Intercontinental the week after it along with the concert at Salon Congo of the same Inter. Both shows were also a co-production of Maluma and JPS Production.

Claude Maluma who co-produced the event with JPS Production, was already on bad terms with Jean Pierre Saah and came really in conflict with them and Werrason. Because Elvis Kemayo tried to escape from Kinshasa with the money they made but was arrested at the airport.

Because of not a VHS existing about the event of 1999. I can't judge.


Second event of Werrason at Stade des Martyrs was on february 26th 2000. Also known as concert de correction (to correct JB's show). The stadium was filled for 100%, werrason then becoming the first artist do it. The price was like JB's two events dec 1999 & jan 2000 (JB had to re-do it because of the rain interrupting his first show) 10 franc congolais. Which was back then like 7/8 dollars.



In 2001, after coming back from Bercy, the long Europe tour and Kibuisa Mpimpa recordings. He came back with his first event being at Stade des Martyrs. From mid-2000, the inflation hit Congo very hard and 1 franc congolais being 23 dollars. It was already hard to make money from Kinshasa concerts because they were peanuts but from then it became almost impossible. It was from this period that Bracongo (Skol) and Bralima (Primus) started to more implicated in open air shows in the areas of Kinshasa. In 2001 Werrason signed with Skol when coming back from Europe and JB Mpiana signing with Bralima when coming back. The tickets were 200 franc congolais for this event, which was like 8/9 dollars with the currency of 2001. Towards the end of 2001 the value of Franc Congolais would go from 1 dollar = 23 fc to 1 dollar = 225 fc.

The show did silence critics their month, about if Werra being able to fill the stadium, because of Adolphe Dominguez departure who took alot of fans with him (some doubting to stay supporting WMM). The gifts of buses to soccer teams AS Vita, CS Imana and Dragons made Werrason get alot of sympathy from people. The way the diaspora had it for him when started his own foundation for street children back in 2000.

The show was the biggest event of 2001 in Kinshasa until that JB Mpiana stole the show in decembre 2001 by filling the whole stadium (including the lawn). It created alot of polemic and the WMM-claiming that people entered their show for free.



In 2002, because of the project of Werra's double Zenith. There were plans to perform twice at Stade des Martyrs with concert promoter Junior Mac Kenro who produced in 2001. But being to busy with the preparations of Double Zenith and other reasons they decided to plan it for the end of the Europe tour. However, Junior Mac Kenro started to have money problems after the event with Koffi Olomidé at Stade des Martyrs that apparently went wrong. Werrason then tried to plan the event through other concert promoters, but they couldn't agree. So after their the Europe tour the planned just one concert at Stade des Martyrs. The event got mutlple times delayed. First because Werrason had contracts in Angola a tour (Luanda, Huambo, etc.) about the peace that took place there that year and the wedding of late Sindika Dokolo. Then the governer fearing security problems because of every return in Kinshasa from long tours creating problems.

Werrason would finally perform on January the 4th 2003 at Stade des Martyrs. I couldn't find any information about the tickets. The goal of the concert was to do it better than JB's crowd of 2001. Which they succeed. But the event received criticism like the one of JB and especially that Koffi, those who were against claimed that they majority entered the stadiu for free. Also the concert started really late and according to the press the just performed 3 songs and then stopped the concerts, which created a conflict between the public and WMM. Fanatics throwing stones and plastic bags with urine. Because of the incidents at Stade des Martyrs (damage on the pitch, gates broke and some even lost), the provincial government often refused to let Werrason perform at Stade des Martyrs when he was about to plan one (the missed double stade des martyrs of dec 2004 to celebrate his koras for Tindika Lokito, the one of 2005 changement de frequence and that of 2007 when coming back after Celeo's departure). Werra's concert of 2003 at Stade des Martyrs was also the last one of a solo artist/band.

For me the best is that of 2001 followed by that of 2000.

yes i agree the 2003 is a bit of a mess with that much people and walking on cables and all that
man 20 years after all that i am realising that what him and jb did with martyrs is massive, they'd have 5 and 4 each if not for rains and government interference thats huge 

After some research I did. Werrason didn't perform 5 times at Stade des Martyrs, but 4. The extract in Zacharie Bababaswe's videotape about Kalombo and Maluma's debate was ADFL's 1th anniversary celebration at Stade des Martyrs in May 1998, to celebrate the way they took power in 1997, inviting multiple artists. If you look the video well you will see L.D. Kabila being written in red below the stage and those famous ADFL flags being on stage.

The other one event at Stade des Martyrs showed in the Mbongé documentary was Pepe Kalle's mouring at the stadium with also artists participating and after Werra's show all public going back home, while there were still artists programmed to perform. This then also confirmed immediately Werra's succes.


First concert of Werrason at Stade des Martyrs in 1999. It was also the most expensive one did made in his career. It could maybe also be expensiver than the one of King Kester Emeneya in 1997 and Koffi Olomide in 1999. But I don't know the prices. The event was 15 Franc Congolais. Back then 1 Franc Congolais was with currency of 1998 1,3 dollar worth, which means that it was like 11/12 dollars. Extracts were showed in the Mbongé documentary. But many things went wrong, Werrason was on the last minute not allowed to enter with his helicopter in the stadium and had to land with it outside. After performing 4 tracks, there was a power failure which forced them to stop the concert. The public then becoming mad and soldiers started to shoot. a big mess. The stadium was filled was filled for 80%. It was back then a record because Emeneya only did 60% and that of Koffi was a big fiasco.



from 25:30


I don't know if there is an official VHS of this show. Some say that it don't exist because of the conflict of Claude Maluma against JPS Production and Werrason. But there is the existence of the show they did at the parking of Intercontinental the week after it along with the concert at Salon Congo of the same Inter. Both shows were also a co-production of Maluma and JPS Production.

Claude Maluma who co-produced the event with JPS Production, was already on bad terms with Jean Pierre Saah and came really in conflict with them and Werrason. Because Elvis Kemayo tried to escape from Kinshasa with the money they made but was arrested at the airport.

Because of not a VHS existing about the event of 1999. I can't judge.


Second event of Werrason at Stade des Martyrs was on february 26th 2000. Also known as concert de correction (to correct JB's show). The stadium was filled for 100%, werrason then becoming the first artist do it. The price was like JB's two events dec 1999 & jan 2000 (JB had to re-do it because of the rain interrupting his first show) 10 franc congolais. Which was back then like 7/8 dollars.



In 2001, after coming back from Bercy, the long Europe tour and Kibuisa Mpimpa recordings. He came back with his first event being at Stade des Martyrs. From mid-2000, the inflation hit Congo very hard and 1 franc congolais being 23 dollars. It was already hard to make money from Kinshasa concerts because they were peanuts but from then it became almost impossible. It was from this period that Bracongo (Skol) and Bralima (Primus) started to more implicated in open air shows in the areas of Kinshasa. In 2001 Werrason signed with Skol when coming back from Europe and JB Mpiana signing with Bralima when coming back. The tickets were 200 franc congolais for this event, which was like 8/9 dollars with the currency of 2001. Towards the end of 2001 the value of Franc Congolais would go from 1 dollar = 23 fc to 1 dollar = 225 fc.

The show did silence critics their month, about if Werra being able to fill the stadium, because of Adolphe Dominguez departure who took alot of fans with him (some doubting to stay supporting WMM). The gifts of buses to soccer teams AS Vita, CS Imana and Dragons made Werrason get alot of sympathy from people. The way the diaspora had it for him when started his own foundation for street children back in 2000.

The show was the biggest event of 2001 in Kinshasa until that JB Mpiana stole the show in decembre 2001 by filling the whole stadium (including the lawn). It created alot of polemic and the WMM-claiming that people entered their show for free.



In 2002, because of the project of Werra's double Zenith. There were plans to perform twice at Stade des Martyrs with concert promoter Junior Mac Kenro who produced in 2001. But being to busy with the preparations of Double Zenith and other reasons they decided to plan it for the end of the Europe tour. However, Junior Mac Kenro started to have money problems after the event with Koffi Olomidé at Stade des Martyrs that apparently went wrong. Werrason then tried to plan the event through other concert promoters, but they couldn't agree. So after their the Europe tour the planned just one concert at Stade des Martyrs. The event got mutlple times delayed. First because Werrason had contracts in Angola a tour (Luanda, Huambo, etc.) about the peace that took place there that year and the wedding of late Sindika Dokolo. Then the governer fearing security problems because of every return in Kinshasa from long tours creating problems.

Werrason would finally perform on January the 4th 2003 at Stade des Martyrs. I couldn't find any information about the tickets. The goal of the concert was to do it better than JB's crowd of 2001. Which they succeed. But the event received criticism like the one of JB and especially that Koffi, those who were against claimed that they majority entered the stadiu for free. Also the concert started really late and according to the press the just performed 3 songs and then stopped the concerts, which created a conflict between the public and WMM. Fanatics throwing stones and plastic bags with urine. Because of the incidents at Stade des Martyrs (damage on the pitch, gates broke and some even lost), the provincial government often refused to let Werrason perform at Stade des Martyrs when he was about to plan one (the missed double stade des martyrs of dec 2004 to celebrate his koras for Tindika Lokito, the one of 2005 changement de frequence and that of 2007 when coming back after Celeo's departure). Werra's concert of 2003 at Stade des Martyrs was also the last one of a solo artist/band.

Why was the 2003 Stade de Martyrs so disorganized? Don't they have some weeks before the show to do soundcheck and rehearse? Do you think we'll ever see the return of performances there?

I think that you missed it. But Fally Ipupa will perform there in October and Heritier Wantanabe will also follow. Congolese bands always do the sound check the same day when performing. Except the Stade des Martyrs-event of 2000 that had a preparation of 1 month, Werrason never prepared his shows at Stade des Martyrs for a long time. They had always a preparation of 1 week. Congolese artists don't need long preprations like western artists, because they already performing every weekend. Nowadays its difficult to perform every week. But back in those days many were giving like 4/5 concerts every week.

Open air events of JB & Werrason in Kinshasa always created security problems. Because it were always huge crowds that were coming and the amount of agents always being to small to control them. That's also one of the reason why the event of Werra vs JB at Stade des Martyrs in 2007 got cancelled by governer Andre Kimbuta on last minute. But there are also versions that it was a way from Werrason and JB Mpiana to scam Bralima after receiving each 100.000 dollars.


Already back in 2000. Secular artists were forbidden for a moment to perform at Stade des Martyrs after Werra's event there. Apparently there was a huge crowd outside the stadium who weren't allowed to enter in and it created a huge mess (back then it was not allowed to have public on the lawn contrary to Stade de 20 Mai which was on a bad state). Koffi wanted to perform there after his Bercy, but wasn't allowed. So he went for l'Esplanade de Palais du Peuple. But a conflict with pastors who also wanted to plan events there in the same period made him switch to Salon Congo of GHK. The same for Papa Wemba who also wanted a concert at Stade des Martyrs after his Zenith & Olympia. Wemba going for a event at YMCA in Matonge and Salon Congo. The same for JB Mpiana after coming back from his long TH tour. His concert promoter saw their planned event at the stadium also not getting approved. This made JB just give a VIP show at the same Salon Congo of Grand Hotel de Kinshasa. Werrason was just lucky that his bro Theophile Mbemba switched from his role as governer of Kinshasa to Interior minister, when he was about to perform at Stade des Martyrs in 2001. Christophe Muzungu then becoming the governor for a few months.


Concerts of Werrason and JB Mpiana often created problems and sometimes there were also deaths. But the press was never paying attention to it and/or giving it little attention. I remember that Werrason once performed in Camp Luka in 2001 and 15 people dying (which is normally a drama). Looking back to it it's like people were hypnotized with the "plein na plein" phenomenon and them being blind for drama.

Shows of Werrason and JB Mpiana at FIKIN started to get rescheduled at some point from 2003 because of security reasons. JB & Werra being eager to win against each other by performing longer made once Werra's show in 2003 being interrupted by the police who started to fight and shoot fans and JB ending up by winning the fara-fara. The video used to be on Seben Total's channel but disapeared. It was the concert where Flamme Kapaya came with the Tindika Lokito signature. In 2005, the same thing happened. But this time the police shoot on JB Mpiana's musicians and tear gas on stage. It created a big scandal and polemic. That event is known as the longest concert every in the Congolese music history. After the drama JB Mpiana and Werrason weren't allowed to do fara-fara's and rules coming for concerts at FIKIN (them having to stop at x hour)