Congolese bandleaders aren't paying their musicians well, but the press and public is forgetting that they don't have the same cachet like French and Americans artists. Because they don't sell the same amount of albums and don't fill big halls outside London, Paris, Brussels, Geneva and Cologne. When they start performing in other cities of France or other countries, they perform small hall but have big mpiaka and sometimes they perform even in gyms. With most concerts not being well organised and just being organized by a pire petit, staffmember or friend. Which will makes it very hard to pay each member 800 euro with a band of more than 18 members.

Congolese bandleaders aren't paying their musicians well, but the press and public is forgetting that they don't have the same cachet like French and Americans artists. Because they don't sell the same amount of albums and don't fill big halls outside London, Paris, Brussels, Geneva and Cologne. When they start performing in other cities of France or other countries, they perform small hall but have big mpiaka and sometimes they perform even in gyms. With most concerts not being well organised and just being organized by a pire petit, staffmember or friend. Which will makes it very hard to pay each member 800 euro with a band of more than 18 members.

I never understood why they always sold us the thing that they were selling CDs everywhere and making soldout stadiums concert. I feel for them being a musician in Africa no matter how rich or powerful you are is a lot harden then being a musician in Europe or in the States songs lile Cible, Mumpe, the Sankara Acoustique, some Werra songs like Yo Te and many others would not exist because they use other people's songs but in Congo there aren't any rights's company.

The only way musicians makes momey is through donations and matolos and a lot of them struggle to get 50 dollars at home. I feel really bad for Mbonda players, Ngongui players and many atalakus especislly the first two one. How do they eat? How can they seriously think to stay in a group where you will not get paid and probably be humiliated for the time being there

Congolese bandleaders aren't paying their musicians well, but the press and public is forgetting that they don't have the same cachet like French and Americans artists. Because they don't sell the same amount of albums and don't fill big halls outside London, Paris, Brussels, Geneva and Cologne. When they start performing in other cities of France or other countries, they perform small hall but have big mpiaka and sometimes they perform even in gyms. With most concerts not being well organised and just being organized by a pire petit, staffmember or friend. Which will makes it very hard to pay each member 800 euro with a band of more than 18 members.

yes ndeko but the problem and the frustration of people comes from how the big names have something like over 100 houses combined and hundreds of thousands if not millions worth of cars if you add all their cars
so they consider that technically if they have the money to do that,they have the money to pay musicians properly
there is nothing more heartbreaking for musicians than when they are caught on tv in a concert of whatever situation forced to praise leaders new car or new house,if you take them in private after the concert  you'll want to cry when they start talking to you

Richacha killed me with the story of Keiko and her bicycle and the they she followed him in Paris.

I wonder if the same stuff happened to other bands like Victoria Eleison, Zaïko Langa Langa, Chic Choc Loyenghe, etc. who went also to Tshipaka. Those diamondsdealers were really throwing money like it was nothing. The same stuff was happening when Congolese artists were invited to perform in villages like Tembo (where you had Tchatcho Mbala), Dundo & Canfunfu in the Lunda-region of Angola. Those trips were risky, but most managed on their comeback to buy cars and houses.


Nowadays it’s rare to hear Congolese bands perform to Mbuji Mayi & Tshipaka. Did the diamondbusiness also fell in Tshipaka like the way it felt in Mbuji Mayi ? I thought with Felix Tshisekedi something would change and lure artists to Kasaï, like the way artists went often to Bukavu & Goma in the Kabila-days and also to Kikwit when Muzito was prime-minister.

I wonder if the same stuff happened to other bands like Victoria Eleison, Zaïko Langa Langa, Chic Choc Loyenghe, etc. who went also to Tshipaka. Those diamondsdealers were really throwing money like it was nothing. The same stuff was happening when Congolese artists were invited to perform in villages like Tembo (where you had Tchatcho Mbala), Dundo & Canfunfu in the Lunda-region of Angola. Those trips were risky, but most managed on their comeback to buy cars and houses.


Nowadays it’s rare to hear Congolese bands perform to Mbuji Mayi & Tshipaka. Did the diamondbusiness also fell in Tshipaka like the way it felt in Mbuji Mayi ? I thought with Felix Tshisekedi something would change and lure artists to Kasaï, like the way artists went often to Bukavu & Goma in the Kabila-days and also to Kikwit when Muzito was prime-minister.

Is true. I don't hear Didi Kinuani's name often especially by Werra who was one of his biggest "clients"

Didi Kinuani felt after his divorce with Amida Shatur, but he's not from Tshikapa. Didi Kinuani is one of the many Bana Lunda like Papito Mbala, Ali Debs, Tchatcho Mbala, etc.  He was based in Canfunfu (Angola).

Beniko Popolipo was mad about not having received a gold record-plate from Biso Na Biso like others who participated on that album (Tshala Muana, Ismael Lo, Papa Wemba, Koffi Olomide, etc.). But now after hearing Richacha talking about how he refused to get that money from Passi signed through papers, wanting to get the money directly, I understand why he didn't receive it.

Richacha killed me with the story of Keiko and her bicycle and the they she followed him in Paris.

Hahaha. I just finished watching this interview. The Keiko story and the Tshikapa story of how Richacha would find the monies that had fallen near him would disappear before he picked it because the Bassist was picking made me laugh. ... He is very funny and honest about hooking up wherever he has gone on tours. One of the funniest interviews post Corona pandemic.

He said sth very important about the cost of the visa to DRC. It's the most expensive in the region if not the whole of Africa at the time when countries are moving towards visa free entries among African countries.

At what point was Awilo Longomba the drummer in Viva La Musica, is it after Richacha joined or before. I thought that Awilo is from the same generation as Reddy, Luciana, Lidjo Kwempa etc. Or is it that Richacha never stayed long in Viva? No?

Yes, Awilo is of the same generation. But he joined like 2 years later. It’s just that Ado forgot to ask about it, but it his first interview he talked about that. Saying that Wemba recruited him because he was the little brother of his girlfriend Patricia Longomba (Before becoming Makaba’s girlfriend years later) Wemba dedicated the song Miss Besange to her.

They recruited Awilo because Richacha wasn’t showing up to concert anymore and often coming very late, when Otis Koyongonda "moto na libandi" left. So they presented him at the double Stade 24 November-event, where they also presented Gloria & Cele le Roi as new musicians. Richacha would miss Viva’s first trip to Japan and the 8 months long Europe, which made him join Maray Maray’s band Runba Ray for a moment.

Yes, Awilo is of the same generation. But he joined like 2 years later. It’s just that Ado forgot to ask about it, but it his first interview he talked about that. Saying that Wemba recruited him because he was the little brother of his girlfriend Patricia Longomba (Before becoming Makaba’s girlfriend years later) Wemba dedicated the song Miss Besange to her.

They recruited Awilo because Richacha wasn’t showing up to concert anymore and often coming very late, when Otis Koyongonda "moto na libandi" left. So they presented him at the double Stade 24 November-event, where they also presented Gloria & Cele le Roi as new musicians. Richacha would miss Viva’s first trip to Japan and the 8 months long Europe, which made him join Maray Maray’s band Runba Ray for a moment.

I see. So Longomba was Richacha's number two if i understood you correctly?

And who left first, between Richacha and Longomba, since that Longomba was part of the group that left to form is it Nouvelle Generation with the likes of Luciana, Lidjo Kwempa, Maray Maray etc.

So the Keiko incident didn't happen on the first Japan tour of Viva?

Yes, Awilo was Richacha’s backup. But Richacha’s absence would make Awilo drumming much more and when they were in Europe it was Awilo who became the main drummer (becoming also one of the main star and getting praised in songs by Stino & Reddy and Richacha focusing more and more on Reggae-music.

Awilo left first in 1992 to form La Nouvelle Generation. Richacha would leave in 1995 which made Wemba invite Djudjuchet for Europe-concerts.

The incident with Keiko was in 1988, Viva first tour was in 1986.

Here you can see Awilo drumming

The Japanese really loved Vieux Bokul and Viva La Musica.