Mfumu Vata, I hope you have seen or will see this interview. This is a very interesting interview. Apparently when Felix Wazekwa performed in Sweden, he actually got a known Congolese guitarist but somewhat unknown for most Congolese audience since he played in Tanzania during his known musical years. I am talking Dekula Kahanga or also called Pepe Vumbi. For the first time ever, Teddy Mola decided to interview a Congolese musician that was based in Kenya or Tanzania. Those who don't know, Dekula Kahanga used to play for Orchestre Maquis (which was based in Lubumbashi before they settled in Tanzania). His guitar was notable and people enjoyed his guitar playing during the Orchestre Maquis years. Dekula reveals that he has lived in Sweden over 30 years. He revealed that he once played with Mbilia Bel and Rigo Star and he even got a chance to play with Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica in which Papa Wemba was so impressed by his guitar playing. Enjoy this interview. Of course, Teddy does not put his name publicly lol because he wants attention of people with Fally and Ferre names but it is not really about them.

Mfumu Vata, I hope you have seen or will see this interview. This is a very interesting interview. Apparently when Felix Wazekwa performed in Sweden, he actually got a known Congolese guitarist but somewhat unknown for most Congolese audience since he played in Tanzania during his known musical years. I am talking Dekula Kahanga or also called Pepe Vumbi. For the first time ever, Teddy Mola decided to interview a Congolese musician that was based in Kenya or Tanzania. Those who don't know, Dekula Kahanga used to play for Orchestre Maquis (which was based in Lubumbashi before they settled in Tanzania). His guitar was notable and people enjoyed his guitar playing during the Orchestre Maquis years. Dekula reveals that he has lived in Sweden over 30 years. He revealed that he once played with Mbilia Bel and Rigo Star and he even got a chance to play with Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica in which Papa Wemba was so impressed by his guitar playing. Enjoy this interview. Of course, Teddy does not put his name publicly lol because he wants attention of people with Fally and Ferre names but it is not really about them.

Now that you mentioned it, it is true, Congolese musicians who got famous outside especially in African countries barely get mentioned BM from England, all the France generation hwo does Sebene and it isn't very well known by white French and also Remmy Ongala for example he became popular in Tanzanai or Uganda I don't Remer especially with the song Kifo if I am not mistaken but




You hardly hear him mentioned. The only Comgolese outside musician who managed to escpad this "system" was Awilo Longomba and to some extent BM with Rosalina



And don't get jt twisted,  for the people who are seeing the Awilo Remix thinking that he boosted the song the song was already Bug and Awilo just added a touch which made jt more popular













but then BM, he liked semi retired for producing his wife's show (Pop Balloon Or Find Love)

There are many artists that are unknown in Congo, but extremely popular abroad. In the 1970s and 1980s, you had Congolese bands that settled in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. For example, Super Mazembe, who's now going viral on Tiktok because of the song Kasongo.



Also the generation of artists that were based in Paris and came with the Soukous-hype (Kanda Bongo Man, late Aurlus Mabele, Diblo Dibala, Yondo Sister, etc.). They helped to make Congolese music expand to the French West-Indies, Colombia, Suriname and Brazil. They also set record attendences in different stadiums in Africa (Benin, Kenya, Zimbabwe). But when you will ask a random person living in Kinshasa if they know Kanda Bongo Man, Dr Sakis or Dany Engobo, they will not know. Congolese people living in France were not taking them serious. It were people from Senegal, Mali, Togo, Ivory Coast, etc. that were appreciating their music.

Mfumu Vata, I hope you have seen or will see this interview. This is a very interesting interview. Apparently when Felix Wazekwa performed in Sweden, he actually got a known Congolese guitarist but somewhat unknown for most Congolese audience since he played in Tanzania during his known musical years. I am talking Dekula Kahanga or also called Pepe Vumbi. For the first time ever, Teddy Mola decided to interview a Congolese musician that was based in Kenya or Tanzania. Those who don't know, Dekula Kahanga used to play for Orchestre Maquis (which was based in Lubumbashi before they settled in Tanzania). His guitar was notable and people enjoyed his guitar playing during the Orchestre Maquis years. Dekula reveals that he has lived in Sweden over 30 years. He revealed that he once played with Mbilia Bel and Rigo Star and he even got a chance to play with Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica in which Papa Wemba was so impressed by his guitar playing. Enjoy this interview. Of course, Teddy does not put his name publicly lol because he wants attention of people with Fally and Ferre names but it is not really about them.

I will watch it on Friday

Mfumu Vata, I hope you have seen or will see this interview. This is a very interesting interview. Apparently when Felix Wazekwa performed in Sweden, he actually got a known Congolese guitarist but somewhat unknown for most Congolese audience since he played in Tanzania during his known musical years. I am talking Dekula Kahanga or also called Pepe Vumbi. For the first time ever, Teddy Mola decided to interview a Congolese musician that was based in Kenya or Tanzania. Those who don't know, Dekula Kahanga used to play for Orchestre Maquis (which was based in Lubumbashi before they settled in Tanzania). His guitar was notable and people enjoyed his guitar playing during the Orchestre Maquis years. Dekula reveals that he has lived in Sweden over 30 years. He revealed that he once played with Mbilia Bel and Rigo Star and he even got a chance to play with Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica in which Papa Wemba was so impressed by his guitar playing. Enjoy this interview. Of course, Teddy does not put his name publicly lol because he wants attention of people with Fally and Ferre names but it is not really about them.

Now that you mentioned it, it is true, Congolese musicians who got famous outside especially in African countries barely get mentioned BM from England, all the France generation hwo does Sebene and it isn't very well known by white French and also Remmy Ongala for example he became popular in Tanzanai or Uganda I don't Remer especially with the song Kifo if I am not mistaken but




You hardly hear him mentioned. The only Comgolese outside musician who managed to escpad this "system" was Awilo Longomba and to some extent BM with Rosalina



And don't get jt twisted,  for the people who are seeing the Awilo Remix thinking that he boosted the song the song was already Bug and Awilo just added a touch which made jt more popular













but then BM, he liked semi retired for producing his wife's show (Pop Balloon Or Find Love)

Remmy Ongala was very popular in Tanzania and he lived there from 1979 until his death in 2010. He is known for hit songs like Sauti ya Mnyonge (Voice of the poor), Kifo (death), Kipenda Roho (soul lover), Pesa (Money), Mwungo (Liar), etc. Mfumu Vata is right. A lot of Congolese artists who went abroad were and still are barely known to Congolese Kinshasa audience. But I got someone who would have been a big guitarist if he remained in Congo Kinshasa. It is no other than Ndala Kasheba. He was born in Katanga and he went on to live in Tanzania from 1970 until his death in 2004.

Here is Ndala Kasheba with fellow Congolese Tanzanian singer King Kikii who is sadly sick these days and is not in great shape. King Kikii was a big singer during the 1970s and 1980s in the Tanzania scene. He is also known for the song Kitambaa Cheupe (White Flag) in which Ndala Kasheba played the solo.

Ndala Kasheba would have been the perfect guitarist for the Kinshasa music scene. He was actually a member of a Congolese band called Orchestre Fauvette which also had King Kikii as one of the lead singers. It had some amazing songs. I will give you five of them here.





This band was awesome and had some great hits. Only problem was that it was not based in Kinshasa but based in Katanga and it was not lucky to be known as groups like OK Jazz, Afrisa, etc. As result, the group decided to take its foot into Tanzania around 1970 where all the musicians including King Kikii and Ndala Kasheba would settle as their home base. Eventually Ndala Kasheba would be leader of the group Orchestre Safari Sound for some years before the band disbanded due to the disputes between the original founder and Kasheba himself. Ndala Kasheba would make great songs during this period like Mpaka Manga, Dunia ni Msongamano, Aziza, Marashi ya Pemba, Dezo Dezo and Kokolay. I mentioned the latter two because those songs would be remixed by no other than Tshala Muana.


Ndala Kasheba actually got mad because he was not given a heads up about it and plus was not getting some shares from the successes of his original songs. As result, he actually decided to go to Kinshasa to confront Tshala Muana herself. Ndala was apparently very happy to be in DRC because he had not been there for a long time and as result, he decided to stay longer and be with his original fellow countrymen. However the Tanzanians were angry and some even went on to say that Ndala had died in Kinshasa. Revolted by this, he decided to make a record called Yellow Card after he returns to Tanzania

Thanks to his Kinshasa trip, he decides to make a new group called Zaita Musica which stands for Zaire-Tanzania music alongside his old friend King Kikii. This was a good move because eventually they have some success and even took a London trip which was where King Kikii made his big hit Kitambaa Cheupe (white flag).

Sadly not long after the London tour, Ndala Kasheba passed away at 58 years old. Funny enough, Tshala Muana also died at 58 years old as well after 18 years.

Tshala Muana's remix of Ndala's songs proved that if Ndala had remained in DRC, he would have been one of the most sought guitarists ever.