Does anybody have more information on this rare record? I used to see a full picture of this over a decade ago on a website but it's completely disappeared. Eventually, I found this picture on YouTube. I don't know where the account has gone now. Thankfully I got it in time.

From what I can piece together, this was the record that had the very first version of "Ngoblia".


The information is inaccurate but it was the only way to put it on the "map".
https://www.discogs.com/release/33974757-Koffi-Olomide-MBilia-Bel-Presente-Dounia-Map-Ya-Mbuzi

There was also another single or EP where you could see Koffi Olomidé carrying Mbilia Bel, but I don't remember the title, since it was decades ago.


Koffi was very productive after leaving Historia Musica in 1984 to launch his solo career in Europe, a period that lasted until 1987. He was releasing at least two projects every year. In 1984, he released Ngounda, which he recorded with the help of Josky Kiambukuta from OK Jazz and Beniko Popolipo, who played all the guitars (bass, lead, mi-solo, and rhythm). Later that year, he released a single called Bokilo To Suki Wapi, which he recorded with Papa Wemba and Bozi Boziana. He also released an album with his friend King Kester Emeneya called Lady Bo, once again backed by Beniko Popolipo, who played all the guitars.

In 1985, he recorded an album with Bozi Boziana that was never released. After that, he released the single Dounia, and towards the end of 1985, Diva, which he recorded with Choc Stars, Popolipo, Meridjo, and Manzeku. This project finally put him on the map.

In 1986, he released Ngobila, which he recorded with the help of Rigo Star. He had initially wanted to record it with TPOK Jazz. However, the album didn’t achieve the same success as Diva when it came out. It was only when his fame started to grow from 1987, after releasing Dieu Voit Tout, that it gained  recognition. He also worked on a project centered around him and Rigo Star, titled Ai Ai Ai La Bombe Éclate.

In 1987, Koffi confirmed his success with the release of Dieu Voit Tout, an album built around his collaboration with the late Fafa de Molokai. The title track became a huge hit, and Koffi was awarded Songwriter of the Year. However, the song created also some controversy, as it had already been sung by Reddy Amisi in Viva la Musica during concerts, though not released on vinyl at the time. For years, people claimed that Koffi had stolen the song from Reddy, something that Reddy consistently denied. It's recently that Reddy revealed that he had actually taken the song from Koffi, but many people still don't believe it and think that Reddy being the original songwriter.

The success of Dieu Voit Tout led Koffi to sign with Kaluila, a major producer at the time. He released the album Rue d'Amour toward the end of 1987. This album opened many doors for him, allowing him to tour African countries such as Ivory Coast and Benin.

In 1987 or 1988, Koffi also worked on a project with the legendary Pepe Kallé. The two recorded an album at Studio IAD in Brazzaville, but for unknown reasons, it was never released.

There was also another single or EP where you could see Koffi Olomidé carrying Mbilia Bel, but I don't remember the title, since it was decades ago.


Koffi was very productive after leaving Historia Musica in 1984 to launch his solo career in Europe, a period that lasted until 1987. He was releasing at least two projects every year. In 1984, he released Ngounda, which he recorded with the help of Josky Kiambukuta from OK Jazz and Beniko Popolipo, who played all the guitars (bass, lead, mi-solo, and rhythm). Later that year, he released a single called Bokilo To Suki Wapi, which he recorded with Papa Wemba and Bozi Boziana. He also released an album with his friend King Kester Emeneya called Lady Bo, once again backed by Beniko Popolipo, who played all the guitars.

In 1985, he recorded an album with Bozi Boziana that was never released. After that, he released the single Dounia, and towards the end of 1985, Diva, which he recorded with Choc Stars, Popolipo, Meridjo, and Manzeku. This project finally put him on the map.

In 1986, he released Ngobila, which he recorded with the help of Rigo Star. He had initially wanted to record it with TPOK Jazz. However, the album didn’t achieve the same success as Diva when it came out. It was only when his fame started to grow from 1987, after releasing Dieu Voit Tout, that it gained  recognition. He also worked on a project centered around him and Rigo Star, titled Ai Ai Ai La Bombe Éclate.

In 1987, Koffi confirmed his success with the release of Dieu Voit Tout, an album built around his collaboration with the late Fafa de Molokai. The title track became a huge hit, and Koffi was awarded Songwriter of the Year. However, the song created also some controversy, as it had already been sung by Reddy Amisi in Viva la Musica during concerts, though not released on vinyl at the time. For years, people claimed that Koffi had stolen the song from Reddy, something that Reddy consistently denied. It's recently that Reddy revealed that he had actually taken the song from Koffi, but many people still don't believe it and think that Reddy being the original songwriter.

The success of Dieu Voit Tout led Koffi to sign with Kaluila, a major producer at the time. He released the album Rue d'Amour toward the end of 1987. This album opened many doors for him, allowing him to tour African countries such as Ivory Coast and Benin.

In 1987 or 1988, Koffi also worked on a project with the legendary Pepe Kallé. The two recorded an album at Studio IAD in Brazzaville, but for unknown reasons, it was never released.

There was a story in Historia Musica how Koffi took the money and fled to Brussels to record Ngounda. Not sure if it's true, but if its, Koffi is a bonafide hustler !

From 1986-1989, Rigo Star definitely played a major role in cementing Koffi's early success. We see this with Tcha Tcho du Sorcier, Henriquet, Rue d'Amour, etc. Ngobila has one of his best rumbas - Apostolu Ya Bolingo.

Koffi also recorded a nice album with vocalist Yakini Kiesse


The track "Gigi Nzola" in particular has one of Rigo Star's best sebenes!

According singer Derval it was not true from



1:31:52 min


Derval explained that Bralima who were their sponsor, used to give Historia Musica 100 crates of their drinks (vitalo, primus, etc.) in order to pay their bandsmember by selling it. But Koffi, who had the function as president was mad that they weren't giving his part of the crates. So he decided not to show up anymore to their concerts. So one day, Koffi dediced to show up at their headquarter, but nobody was there only Derval. So they dediced to eat something at a restaurant and Koffi explaining that he felt ill, but nobody visiting him nor giving some financial assistance and asking if Bralima was giving them crates. Koffi then asking about his part, Derval replying that he don't and that he received 2 crates every week. Koffi then decided to own to Bralima on his own and saying to Derval that he has to inform their PR not to come to Bralima the following saturday. So that saturday, Bralima didn't deliver the crates at Historia Musica's headquarter, the bandmembers were surprised, which made their PR check on monday with Bralima explaining that Koffi already took everything and that gave it to another headquarter in Matonge, at Koffi's uncle (Oncle Reecee's place). Later on, Koffi went to visit Debaba giving his all his luggages, saying that he got chased away from his place in Bandalungwa and that he will sleep in a hotel to get to his new place in Matonge the following morning, only to arrive the same morning at Debaba's house to explain that he's going to Europe, to get contracts for Historia Musica to tour in Europe. After the explaining the whole story, Derval concluded Koffi was right and just took the money that he didn't receive in the weeks that he was absent.

Looking back at the story, the incident ruined Koffi's reputation since that all newspapers talked about it and Koffi himself never reacted because he was in Europe. Also with the years passing by, every year there would be some rumors about Koffi having stolen something and only becoming worser with the years. For example, how people went to eat at Malou Bomboka's restaurant and a person having lost his keys of his car (Mercedes Benz), ordering everyone not to leave to control, only to find those keys in Koffi's jacket. Zaiko would use the same story in their generique Proverbe 22:1 from the album Poison as "Lisolo ya Bague ya Mercedes" to diss him. In the same period, there was a rumors spread that Koffi after spending a day at Malou Bomboka's house, that he stole her videorecorder and television. Years later, Tutu Calugi would ridiculize him about it in the video they did along with Wenge BCBG to diss him after their Bercy-show.