Author Topic: Marcel Landu interviewing Kito Dembela (talking about Emeneya, Lidjo, etc.)  (Read 299 times)

Mfumu Vata on: August 28, 2025, 16:20

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He talked about his childhood in Kikwit and Lemba, how he started in music and the bands Anges Noires and Nzube Eleison. He also explained that Emeneya’s younger brother, Dieudonné Mubiala Baki Emen, originally had the nickname “Josky,” which he (Kito) later changed to “Joly", because of already a singer called Josky Kiambukuta being there singing in Continental (later TP OK Jazz). He spoke about joining Gina Efonge’s band, Libanko, and how he and his friends (Lidjo Kwempa and others) from their band La Ruunda in Lemba refused offers from different bandleaders, but eventually ended up joining Le Grand Zaiko Wawa.

In the interview, Kito revealed that Otis Mbuta was the original writer of Félix Manuaku’s song Obi. He also mentioned that Joly Mubiala and Dodo Munoko, both from Kikwit, later followed them into Grand Zaiko Wawa. Through their friend Robert Mons, they came into contact with Papa Wemba. Robert Mons told him that Kito and Lidjo used to sing with Emeneya in Kikwit, and which led them to join Viva la Musica.

He also talked about a friend of him passed away, when going to Angola (Lunda) looking for diamonds, by walking on a mine and another friend who used to be a guitarist in Nzube Eleison as well.

Kito also talked about the first fara-fara of Victoria Eleison against Viva la Musica, which took place in Bandalungwa at Moto na Moto Abongisa-Bar. The fara-fara ended up  in a fight with Victoria fanatics following Viva-musicians, after a comment of Maray Maray made saying "Kansayi Yamamoto na mayi ooh whoo", forgetting that Bandal being Emeneya's ground and Emeneya-fans getting angry with the concert being interrupted (It had been said that someone  from the public slapped Papa Wemba on his face). Kito explained the background of it, how they (Viva) were promoting "Yoji Yamamoto" and Victoria "Kansayi Yamamoto". Kito saying that if it wasn't with the help of Muika Son's sisters that he could have died. Because a big crowds was following him to beat him and him running to their house and their sisters closing the door. Later on, the younger brother of Muika son, spotted Reddy Amisi in the car with Teddy Kinsala's younger brother behind their house, looking for Kito Dembela. Kito Dembela joined them and they later went to the police, where they took Lidjo Kwempa, who was hided at the police-station and them going to Molokai. Kito saying that they stayed until the morning in Molokai and that Papa Wemba didn't sleep because of the sadness he had about Emeneya and co.

After that he also talked about the second fara-fara which on the national television tele-Zaire. Where Maray-Maray showed up in traditional clothes (at that time the public saw it like Maray Maray made lose his own group, since that it was a war about La Sape), but Papa Wemba wasn't happy with that iniative. Kito Dembela explaining that in his eyes Maray Maray did that to humilate Victoria Eleison, for the way they were hyping those triple weston shoes up, so he decided to wear it along with traditional clothes to show that it didn't had any value.


After that, he also talked about the second fara-fara, which was broadcast on national television, Télé-Zaïre. During that event, Maray-Maray appeared in traditional clothes. However, Papa Wemba was not happy with this initiative. At the time, the public saw this as Maray-Maray made lose his own group, since the rivalry was centered on La Sape. In Kito Dembela's eyes, Maray-Maray did it to humiliate Victoria Eleison, who had been promoting the triple Weston shoes. By combining them with traditional clothes, he wanted to show that the shoes had no real value.

They also talked the song Ceci Cela. Kito revealing that the songs Ceci Cela, Ngonda, and Dembela were ones they used to sing back in Kikwit. Marcel Landu tried to hype Papa Wemba’s double event at Stade 24 Novembre by claiming that he was the first artist to perform in stadiums in Kinshasa. But Kito replied that it was actually Sosoliso (Trio Madjesi) who were the first. Their performance was so popular that people unable to enter the stadium climbed into the roof of the church next to Stade 24 Novembre, eventually causing it to collapse.

Kito also spoke about briefly joining Choc Stars with Luciana Demingongo after being contacted by Bozi Boziana (known as “Vieux Abubakar”), attracted by the financial offers. He added that he was the one who gave Adolphe Dominguez his nickname. At that time, Adolphe Dominguez was close to General Defao, who was then a member of Choc Stars.

After that, he explained how he went to Europe on his own after being left behind by Papa Wemba and later Bozi Boziana (he briefly joined Anti Choc). He described how he participated in Viva’s concert at La Madeleine in Brussels on the very day he arrived in Europe, and how his friends Stino and Reddy helped him get into France (at that time, the Schengen Agreement did not yet exist and all borders still had controls). He also recalled staying at Stino’s house and once accidentally eating a large red chili pepper, thinking it was a tomato, and then discovering just how spicy Caribbean peppers can be.

After that, he spoke about the different albums he contributed to, as well as his own album (Mokili Pitie). Marcel Landu then asked why his album was successful in Angola but not in DR Congo. Kito Dembela explained that this was due to the regime change in 1997, during that moment many CD shops were looted. Marcel Landu also asked how he ended up in Kinshasa, whether it was to visit his family or because Europeans (Police) had become tired of him asking to replicate what he does in France to do it in Congo (indirectly asking if they got him deported). Kito replied that when white people create weapons to kill others, it is considered acceptable, but when Africans sell weed or drugs in Europe, suddenly it becomes a problem.

Towards the end he said that he became Chief of his Clan in their village.