Today, it’s 25 years ago that Wenge El Paris performed at Stade Tata Raphael (also known as Stade de 20 Mai). The event took place after spending months abroad in different African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia) for 8 months and few concerts in Katanga. When coming back from the African tour, they received a thriumphal return and performed at Fespam in Brazzaville. The first concert in Kinshasa took place at l’Esplanade de Palais du Peuple. where the newly recruited Celezino got presented that joined from Manda Chante’s band during Fespam. The concert created a big buzz in Kinshasa due to the big crowd that was there. Because many fans not being able to enter the venue. concertpromoter Abeto Center planned a new event at Stade Tata Raphael the following week. However, for whatever reason they received a 12 from the admin, they ended up by performing at FIKIN that weekend and many fans not being aware about this. On September 4th, El Paris finally managed to perform there. The stadium was full of people. Concertpromoter Abeto Center, who also became like their manager, went back to Europe with video and brought it on the market. The VHS was selling very well and brought El Paris a bit back in connection with people living in Europe, who were not really aware the huge succes Marie Paul and Wenge El Paris had at that time in Kinshasa and the big crowds their events had. In the same period Abeto Center planned an Europe-tour for them for december 1999, but Maison Schengen sadly rejected the demand for visa’s. It frustated some bandmembers, them being mocked by people living in their quarter/street (y’all know how Kinois are when you fail to go to Europe after making alot of noise) and atalaku Bizima Kondos, because of that deciding to join Quartier Latin International who were preparing the Bercy-show.



From the show at Stade Tata Raphael there was also a live-album brought on the market, which was for a big part corrected in Studio Meko with sound enigneer Madou Kimbambé. In the live-album you could hear Marie Paul throw many shots towards his bro’Werrason, who used to be buddies the previous year

Today, it’s 25 years ago that Wenge El Paris performed at Stade Tata Raphael (also known as Stade de 20 Mai). The event took place after spending months abroad in different African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia) for 8 months and few concerts in Katanga. When coming back from the African tour, they received a thriumphal return and performed at Fespam in Brazzaville. The first concert in Kinshasa took place at l’Esplanade de Palais du Peuple. where the newly recruited Celezino got presented that joined from Manda Chante’s band during Fespam. The concert created a big buzz in Kinshasa due to the big crowd that was there. Because many fans not being able to enter the venue. concertpromoter Abeto Center planned a new event at Stade Tata Raphael the following week. However, for whatever reason they received a 12 from the admin, they ended up by performing at FIKIN that weekend and many fans not being aware about this. On September 4th, El Paris finally managed to perform there. The stadium was full of people. Concertpromoter Abeto Center, who also became like their manager, went back to Europe with video and brought it on the market. The VHS was selling very well and brought El Paris a bit back in connection with people living in Europe, who were not really aware the huge succes Marie Paul and Wenge El Paris had at that time in Kinshasa and the big crowds their events had. In the same period Abeto Center planned an Europe-tour for them for december 1999, but Maison Schengen sadly rejected the demand for visa’s. It frustated some bandmembers, them being mocked by people living in their quarter/street (y’all know how Kinois are when you fail to go to Europe after making alot of noise) and atalaku Bizima Kondos, because of that deciding to join Quartier Latin International who were preparing the Bercy-show.



From the show at Stade Tata Raphael there was also a live-album brought on the market, which was for a big part corrected in Studio Meko with sound enigneer Madou Kimbambé. In the live-album you could hear Marie Paul throw many shots towards his bro’Werrason, who used to be buddies the previous year

How does Maison Schengen determine which groups get favor for Visas? Could rejections be a result of a Marie Paul applying for too many people? From what I've noticed, the groups that have an easier time apply for small amount (band and small staff) and then the list grows with each Europe tour.

If I recall, Koffi was only bringing four singers, four guitarists, until V12. The same with Wenge Musica, they left Alain Mpela for Kin e Bouge and even Tutu Caludji as well as Theo Bidens for Anges Adorable.

If I'm not mistaken, Marie tried to bring the first team and back-up band as well as staff in 1999. That's a lot of people, but I could be wrong

I don’t know how they determine it. But it is already a huge challenge for bands that have never been to Europe, to see their demand being accepted. Wenge El Paris at that time had never been to Europe on a normal way. When the went back to Europe in 1992, they came like family-members of Mobutu’s family, that came to Europe for a familytrip. After that they never managed to come back.

I heard that embassadies sometimes also ask opinions of older musicians, if bands are credible. It is important to note, that Marie Paul was already not liked because of his big mouth.

I don’t believe that El Paris applied visa’s for a back-up team. Nobody was doing that at that time only JB Mpiana, when preparing Bercy. When the visa’s were rejected Marie Pau and his fans (ba ndimi) were claiming that it was because of “safu zibola… or something like that” two leaders (jb & werra) for being jealous of him, doing their best to become big by blocking his career.

 In 2000 it worked because late president Laurent-Desire Kabila was liking them alot and helped them out, after that Frida Mushi managed to get in contact with him. According to Hassan Tseke, Joseph Kabila used to be a huge fan of them, even used to visit Marie Paul at home in the years (1997-2000) and assist at rehearsals. I don’t understand why Marie Paul didn’t capitalize on that network or maybe he isn’t a big fan of matolo and begging. For his bro Werrason it worked a lot.

Koffi Olomide was only bringing a small band, because he was not trusting them and fearing that they would ran away until Loi. Also he wasn’t liking if someone was becoming to popular and if fame started to go to the head of his bandmembers, them started to neglect rehearsals or sleep with one of his dancers, he would punish them. He changed his strategy from Olympia and Attenat, by coming with much more musicians, since that the war with Clan Wenge started to become fierce.

Alain Mpela was nothing before Kin é Bougé. They like to make him important because of the war with Wenge El Paris to attack Marie Paul. But before Kin é Bougé, he was reserve and barely singing. They started to use as a real singer when Manda Chante joined, them starting concerts along with Marie Paul (who was their elder  and also chef de discipline) and when Blaise Bula, JB Mpiana and Werrason would enter the stage them leaving and singing with Marie Paul on stage