Where's Fally?

He was in Kinshasa with the rest of Quartier Latin. Koffi here performed with former Quartier Latin members and those recently left him along with Ferre Gola, Soleil Wanga and Titina Al Capone that joined him from Kinshasa (them having French papers).

Is this why fally ended up leave the next year? I know QL were mad he went touring in France that year without them

Yeah. There are two versions about the project of Droit Chemin. First version is that he was mad about Koffi going to Europe with Ferre and him being approached by Wenge Maison Mere to join them as revenge, but him not wanting to join on a normal way. Him wanting first to get fired by Koffi by saying on tv that Koffi giving the authorization to work on his solo-album. Second version is that he already wanted to work on his album and in 2004, when there were already tensions in the group, asking about that to Koffi Olomide but Koffi reacting coldly, leaving him and Jordan Kusa behind for a trip to Zimbabwe. The moment when Ferre Gola joined, he saw it as a humilation, especially when both went to Europe, thinking that he would end up like Suzuki in 1998. So to get the sympathy from the people, he came on tv to say that Koffi authorized him to record an album, knowing that Koffi will fire him. Koffi was mad when hearing in Europe what Fally said on tv, but decided not to fire him, knowing to what it could be. At the end he finally accepted to let Fally work on his album, but behind the scenes he would do anything to block the recordings and release of the album. Somina had normally to produce his album, but he was threatened by gangsters sended by Koffi. When Fally decided to work with David Monsoh, he didn't name the producer to avoid losing once again an executive producer. When Koffi discovered that David Monsoh was about to produce Droit  Chemin he was really hurted, because David Monsoh was his enemy since the Monde Arabe-days, after working for a long time with him. Koffi did everything to block the release through a lawsuit behind the scenes, saying that David Monsoh hadn't the right to release of Droit Chemin because of Fally Ipupa having a contract with Quartier Latin. But he lost the case, because on paper Kiki Touré being the producer.

Fally Ipupa ended up by leaving Droit Chemin started slowly to have succes. In the first two months after the release he was about to stay in Quartier Latin. Thinking that the album had flopped and the public not reacting how it had to be. But when being in Kinshasa, the press started to promote the album very hard and Droit Chemin slowly becoming a succes. Guys like Shabani Records, the late Michel Lady Luya helping him out and him giving concerts. He was then adviced to lie that Koffi gave him green light to give concerts, in the hope that Koffi would be angry and fire which could lead to musicfans feeling pity for him. But Koffi already noticed that and started to make multiple interviews about it, saying that there were bad people influencing Fally. Sankara de Nkuta would often mock Koffi Olomide for being hurt about Fally and making multiple interviews. The succes of Fally would grow more with the months coming and him ending up having a contract with Bracongo/Skol and also a small europe tour in Europe along with Maika Munan, Ramazani, Pathy Moleso, Champion and co to promote Droit Chemin.



The famous interview of a hurt Koffi Olomidé

Yeah. There are two versions about the project of Droit Chemin. First version is that he was mad about Koffi going to Europe with Ferre and him being approached by Wenge Maison Mere to join them as revenge, but him not wanting to join on a normal way. Him wanting first to get fired by Koffi by saying on tv that Koffi giving the authorization to work on his solo-album. Second version is that he already wanted to work on his album and in 2004, when there were already tensions in the group, asking about that to Koffi Olomide but Koffi reacting coldly, leaving him and Jordan Kusa behind for a trip to Zimbabwe. The moment when Ferre Gola joined, he saw it as a humilation, especially when both went to Europe, thinking that he would end up like Suzuki in 1998. So to get the sympathy from the people, he came on tv to say that Koffi authorized him to record an album, knowing that Koffi will fire him. Koffi was mad when hearing in Europe what Fally said on tv, but decided not to fire him, knowing to what it could be. At the end he finally accepted to let Fally work on his album, but behind the scenes he would do anything to block the recordings and release of the album. Somina had normally to produce his album, but he was threatened by gangsters sended by Koffi. When Fally decided to work with David Monsoh, he didn't name the producer to avoid losing once again an executive producer. When Koffi discovered that David Monsoh was about to produce Droit  Chemin he was really hurted, because David Monsoh was his enemy since the Monde Arabe-days, after working for a long time with him. Koffi did everything to block the release through a lawsuit behind the scenes, saying that David Monsoh hadn't the right to release of Droit Chemin because of Fally Ipupa having a contract with Quartier Latin. But he lost the case, because on paper Kiki Touré being the producer.

Fally Ipupa ended up by leaving Droit Chemin started slowly to have succes. In the first two months after the release he was about to stay in Quartier Latin. Thinking that the album had flopped and the public not reacting how it had to be. But when being in Kinshasa, the press started to promote the album very hard and Droit Chemin slowly becoming a succes. Guys like Shabani Records, the late Michel Lady Luya helping him out and him giving concerts. He was then adviced to lie that Koffi gave him green light to give concerts, in the hope that Koffi would be angry and fire which could lead to musicfans feeling pity for him. But Koffi already noticed that and started to make multiple interviews about it, saying that there were bad people influencing Fally. Sankara de Nkuta would often mock Koffi Olomide for being hurt about Fally and making multiple interviews. The succes of Fally would grow more with the months coming and him ending up having a contract with Bracongo/Skol and also a small europe tour in Europe along with Maika Munan, Ramazani, Pathy Moleso, Champion and co to promote Droit Chemin.



The famous interview of a hurt Koffi Olomidé

When Droit Chemin first came out, did you think Fally could break the curse of failed solo careers? (Alain Mpela, Sukuzi, ect.)

What was causing tension in QL since 2004? I know Bouro and Soleil had rivalry with Fally, but was it dude to new members too like Mirage and Junior?

I don't know that it was, because none of the guys talked about those tensions. Only the press releasing sometimes artciles about it. It already started in 2003. I only know that Jordan Kusa once shortly talked about it last year during his live with Lodia H20, saying that something went wrong between Koffi and them during the mourning of dancer Mireille Konde but he didn't want to go in the details.

Junior had nothing to do with it. He there already since 2002 along with Asso, being reverse-members and slowly getting their places in the band after hard work. Mirage had just a personal problem with Soleil, because of Soleil thinking that Koffi recruited him to get his place, which led to many confrontations, because he wasn't happy when he was doing his vocal at concerts and along with that Arabic vocal. It was also one of the reasons why Mirage left Quartier Latin early fearing Soleil. But the rest of Quartier Latin was cool with Mirage

I don't know that it was, because none of the guys talked about those tensions. Only the press releasing sometimes artciles about it. It already started in 2003. I only know that Jordan Kusa once shortly talked about it last year during his live with Lodia H20, saying that something went wrong between Koffi and them during the mourning of dancer Mireille Konde but he didn't want to go in the details.

Junior had nothing to do with it. He there already since 2002 along with Asso, being reverse-members and slowly getting their places in the band after hard work. Mirage had just a personal problem with Soleil, because of Soleil thinking that Koffi recruited him to get his place, which led to many confrontations, because he wasn't happy when he was doing his vocal at concerts and along with that Arabic vocal. It was also one of the reasons why Mirage left Quartier Latin early fearing Soleil. But the rest of Quartier Latin was cool with Mirage

So the rest of QL left because they suspected Koffi would clear them out due to Fally and Ferre departure or did they try to follow in their success?

I'm surprised that they had the courage to ask Koffi to record a solo album, especially with Fally leaving. Would it be fair to say that Fally leaving hurt Koffi more than Sam creating Academia? Because Koffi never regained confidence with his band again, he didn't have Beniko and others to keep him motivated to prove a point.

There two versions. One version is that Koffi himself said to all keymembers who hadn't papers yet to stay in Europe. Saying that he won't bring musicians of Kinshasa anymore to Europe, because of difficulties to get visa's. Back then they already strugggeld to get visa's for the 2005-06, them being lucky that they came through Sweden and being able to tour in the rest of Europe, because of Sweden being part of the Schengen-area. There even articles on internet about it. Other version is that many members already planned to leave once being in Euroep even guys like Binda Bass, because of being fed to live Kinshasa and struggling in reality.

Bandmembers didn't ask for a solo-album, because Koffi Olomide openly said in an interview, when hearing that Ferre Gola was about to do some pre-recordings in Brussels with Picas for Sens Interdit, that it was forbidden for any musician to record a solo album and the one doing it, gettomgfired. When Bouro Mpela asked for it, he got fired, later on Modogo did also asked him for it. The result ? He got fired. Soleil Wanga got suspended when Koffi heard that he was working in private on his album and got fired when he made an interview.


I don't know, I am not Koffi. Despite not having Beniko, Koffi had the talented arranger/guitarist Mbentenge Domingo in his band and veterans like Binda Bass and Montana Kamenga who helped recruiting new singers. Koffi was still motivated, although it was very hard. The press wanting to finish him by promoting G-5 alot, problems with musicpromoters (like the one in Ivory Coast who tried to arrest him, but Koffi being helped by the late Hamed Bakayoko to get out of the country), a camera-man of Raga-tv being beaten during a concert, the  beef against Wazekwa that almost led to the death of Hono Kapanaga, etc. Koffi proved all people that thought that he was finished a point with BEK and came strongly back on the top. The album stayed almost 2 years in the topcharts and is one of Koffi's best received solo albums.