with a young Apocalyps

For me it was for Manda Chante not the good moment to leave Wenge EL Paris, but he had no choice. It was better if he and Marie Paul were still together for 2 or 3 years and releasing 1 or 2 albums to counter the BCBG VS Maison Mere-storm.

How is it possible that if someone like JB, Werrason, Koffi or Zaiko let themselves produce by Editions N'diaye that their albums are well promoted, but if it's someone outside that circle (Manda Chante, etc.) then album always suffers of bad promotion ? It very strange. It's only now that I'm thinking about that. People paid attention to Bouclage, but the album wasn't not received like Longue Histoire, T.H., Force de Frappe, Haute Tension or A La Une.



Where is the journalist Gaspard Love now ? He was very active in the Congolese music-scene.

Did he left El Paris in 1998 or 1999 ?

Did he left El Paris in 1998 or 1999 ?

He left mid 1999. Somewhere in spring or summer i don't remember, but it was in 1999.

So sad that all those archive of Congo 2000, Visa 2000 of digitalcongo, Les Amis de Wetchi, etc. dissapeared on the internet. In 8/5 years you could see those archives of 1998, 1999, 2000 until 2007 back to see what happened in those years, the events and releasedates of albums, departures, the winning list of ACMCO, old interviews of bandleaders or musicians of who decided to leave, etc.

@mvulusi96

At that time, mainstream Congolese music was an oligopoly. Quartier Latin, Zaiko, Wenge(s), and Kester had the game on lockdown!

@mvulusi96

At that time, mainstream Congolese music was an oligopoly. Quartier Latin, Zaiko, Wenge(s), and Kester had the game on lockdown!

I'd put Wemba in place of Kester. Though Eleison was were bands were getting some memorable dances from, the other leaders tried their best to neutralize him as he successfully returned to the local scene after 6-7 years of exile in Europe.

Kester was a leader, but it wasn't easy for him.

Yeah, true. In 1999 he was like he dissapeard with people saying "asila", but Kester smacked them hard with Longue Histoire. Then you got the story about Zenith almost being cancelled because of Wemba & Koffi.

Wemba was after JB & Werra the most popular artist of DRC. I think that he would still be on the top until his death, if that ngulu-afffaire didn't happen. Alot of fans, personal journalists and so called "pire petits" left him after Somo Trop with his albums not more having the same impact before.

 There was no staff who was famous like that if Wemba called "governement Jet-Set", where those guys now ? I know that Bei Canto (RIP) and Eric Kenzo (RIP ) the son of journalist Adolphe Kembukusua died and that Richard Kiangata became a pastor.

For me it was for Manda Chante not the good moment to leave Wenge EL Paris, but he had no choice. It was better if he and Marie Paul were still together for 2 or 3 years and releasing 1 or 2 albums to counter the BCBG VS Maison Mere-storm.

How is it possible that if someone like JB, Werrason, Koffi or Zaiko let themselves produce by Editions N'diaye that their albums are well promoted, but if it's someone outside that circle (Manda Chante, etc.) then album always suffers of bad promotion ? It very strange. It's only now that I'm thinking about that. People paid attention to Bouclage, but the album wasn't not received like Longue Histoire, T.H., Force de Frappe, Haute Tension or A La Une.



Where is the journalist Gaspard Love now ? He was very active in the Congolese music-scene.

What  do you mean by "he had no choice" ?

he was forced out the band by Marie Paul, who wanted to be only leader. They weren't informing Manda Chante anymore that they had to perform on that or this place and then on the last day there was a moment that MariePaulwas very angry and said to his musicians before the rehearsal to chooce between him or Manda Chante. With everybody choicing for Marie Paul, because they felt intimidated and didn't think that Manda would succeed. Which made Manda forming his own band in Ndjili, but it was very diffuclt for him despite having massive support from donors, guys like Shabani Records, Gaspard Love and people of Ndjili based in Europe because of the many spiritual attacks he was getting from Marie Paul with him then looking for help to many pastors (pastors like Dennie Lessie, etc.). I tought that Marie Paul would reach another level with KO Debout, to prove his leadership and because of the polemique with Werrason, but it flopped very hard. The same for Manda Chante with Bouclage.

gaspard love is working at studio ndiaye, another reason for manda's departure is apparently marie paul's support for werra manda was strongly against and said to marie paul who he was living with that guy will stab you in the back because he still hold grudge against werra( and jb) over how they did nothing to keep him in the group and that allergy he had( which he stills has until now) and people telling him its jb and werra who wanted to sacrifice him