Do they not listen to sebenes in nightclubs? All these albums are rumbas these days.

Kiekie, tell me about it

bro congolese today go in nightclubs to dance 80 percent or more foreign music it even happens in kinshasa that in some nightclub you have to have a congolese star for them to play congolese music  sometimes since some artists control some dj's they even troll deliberately artists by starting their short sequence of congolese music with music from the rival when they arrive

This is exactly the thing I was thinking, do Congolese artists not think about this when making albums like “ooo let me give them some 2-3/4 sebene so they can dance as well as some tunes for the more slow moods”, it was even surprising to hear 3 generique on Miels album

With artists trying to appease donors who lean towards rumbas, competition from music from other parts of Africa, and the fact that not everyone has the same preference for rumbas, you probably won't hear that much sebenes in the clubs these days. Imagine dancing to 20 straight rumbas throughout the night, it gets boring without a few sebenes to shake up the balance.

the problem is that our artists seem to have some complex that even dancing now is not anymore sebene generique but rather afrobeat and all the alternatives so their attempts in many cases do not stand competition with foreign artists which end up in customers requesting more foreign music
we have a difficult public,if you play a hardcore generique some will tell you its 2020 and that is outdated,if you play half half like most koffi recent releases they will tell you that it takes too long of bullshit before sebene starts if you take the zaiko style people will tell you its too slow....
even the rumbas they will be plenty of "but oh this song sounds like this one of previous album he did nothing new"

So in short Congo music is gone lol, I never understood how people who used supply the whole of Africa with their music think we will appreciate rumbas....... That's stupid cause most of us in southern Africa we can't even hear what they are saying, that's the hard truth the genre is dead

It makes no sense to me. Generiques and songs with sebene were truly memorable. That’s what kept the energy going in albums. I think there is a problem in Congo with shifting focus, Congolese music is unique. I felt it was what innovated other genres such as coupe decale.

These donors have to realize can’t make any money if the artist isn’t popular.

What about collaborating with French rappers and creating some sebene?

What about collaborating with French rappers and creating some sebene?

Most French artists aren't approachable money wise for the leader and given how Leader are egotistical they problably don't even want to feature French artists

bro congolese today go in nightclubs to dance 80 percent or more foreign music it even happens in kinshasa that in some nightclub you have to have a congolese star for them to play congolese music  sometimes since some artists control some dj's they even troll deliberately artists by starting their short sequence of congolese music with music from the rival when they arrive

This is surprising and sad!!!!! Whereas here in Kenya we have seen a great resurgence of Congolese music, the Congolese themselves are appreciating less their music is just but interesting. Soon it wont be attractive for young guys to think music as a career in Congo and that will spell doom for this music.

So in short Congo music is gone lol, I never understood how people who used supply the whole of Africa with their music think we will appreciate rumbas....... That's stupid cause most of us in southern Africa we can't even hear what they are saying, that's the hard truth the genre is dead

People do appreciate rumbas. Rumba is big in eastern Africa and, for instance, Franco is seen as a god over there.

The issue is not rumba being there. The issue is seben disappearing.

There are a lot of factors.

Artists are too greedy and only make songs for donors. And those new new donors only want rumbas.

Beside that, there is clearly an issue with the art of seben. It seems like a lost art. How many failed generiques from big artists? In the 90's, it was impossible o have so many bad generiques.

Also, look at dances. You used to have a very popular ance every 6 months. Now? Zero dance. Maybe it's because groups like Station Japan, Swede, Superchoc do not exist anymore. Those groups were taking traditional music vibes and making it available for mainstream musicians.

Congolese music is also dying because the link with traditional music is dying. Congolese music is based on folk. When you take out the root, the tree is going to die. When your main inspiration comes from outside, well... These new musicians have a lot inferiority complex and it's like they are ashamed of the genre. This trend is also fueled by the public. Just look at the praise Fally is getting for doing french urban pop instead of doing congolese music.

And these new musicians are just lazy. They just take the same rumba formula and they are running it to the ground. No effort to innovate.

I'm sure the genre will bounce back, but this generation needs to be wiped out. The messiah will come. LOL.

There are a lot of factors.

Artists are too greedy and only make songs for donors. And those new new donors only want rumbas.

Beside that, there is clearly an issue with the art of seben. It seems like a lost art. How many failed generiques from big artists? In the 90's, it was impossible o have so many bad generiques.

Also, look at dances. You used to have a very popular ance every 6 months. Now? Zero dance. Maybe it's because groups like Station Japan, Swede, Superchoc do not exist anymore. Those groups were taking traditional music vibes and making it available for mainstream musicians.

Congolese music is also dying because the link with traditional music is dying. Congolese music is based on folk. When you take out the root, the tree is going to die. When your main inspiration comes from outside, well... These new musicians have a lot inferiority complex and it's like they are ashamed of the genre. This trend is also fueled by the public. Just look at the praise Fally is getting for doing french urban pop instead of doing congolese music.

And these new musicians are just lazy. They just take the same rumba formula and they are running it to the ground. No effort to innovate.

I'm sure the genre will bounce back, but this generation needs to be wiped out. The messiah will come. LOL.

Very well explained. Also may I add Sebene songs aren’t rated anymore because guys like Koffi and Ferre publicly denounced it to humiliate Werra, but it led to the new generation not wanting to do it either.
2015 we were on the way to having Sebene back especially with Fally and F’Victeam having 4/5 Sebene songs in their album, but I don’t know what happened after. Even guys like Heritier and Fabregas said they’d have Sebene  songs in their albums but nope.
We need hard hitting Sebene again, because this rhumba trend really ain’t it.

I've already said it since years that Congolese music is dead in Kinshasa. Most youngster prefer foreign music, which is also due to most of them only watching foreign television and not the local tv, most nightclubs only putting foreign music. That's also the case inareas like Makala, Bumbu, Ngaba, Kisenso and Selembao. Those who like local-music, mostly mix it with coupe-decale, afro or rap. When Nouvelle Ecriture atalaku Biscuit des Ecoliers said that their album will have a afro-generique, I said immediatly Ndombolo ekufi. Roga Roga of Brazzaville made with Extra Musica a ndombolo-album 242, but it flopped and didn't give him contracts around Africa. Only Abidjan, which is normal because of all politicans and concert-promoters being big Extra-fans. It shows that even if they would release Ndombolo-albums today, it won't change anything. The African-music media isn't also the same like 20 years ago. They prefer to promote alot of Nigerian music than music coming from Francophone countries. Also coming with rules that music must not be longer than 5:35 min, etc.