Today, it’s 23 years ago that the second day of Werrason’s double event at Zenith de Paris ‘also known as’ Double Zenith took place. The event was a co-production two production-houses. FPP of Felix Petit who produced King Kester Emeneya at Zenith in October 2001 and Meganet, known for different shows of Congolese artists at Zenith de Paris in 2010. Both labels did a concertproduction as well for King Kester Emeneya at Olympia in 2002, two weeks prior to the double zenith-event.
The Double-Zenith event is nowadays seen as one of the biggest in Congolese music and until this day played in bars and some parts even getting sampled by rappers of the Congolese diaspora in Europe. Back when the Coupe-Decale genre was dominating Ndombolo in 2004 and 2005, the Maison-Mère camp would claim that the genre was for a big part inspired by the Double Zenith event (drums of Kakol) and that their dance camera-camera was just a copy of koyimbi-ko. The event of Double-Zenith made a little hype start within the Congolese community with some people starting to do double-birthday parties or events.
Because of artists like Fally and Ferre performing at halls like Paris La Defense Arena and ING Arena, some youngsters tend to minimize Double Zenith. But back at that time it was seen as a huge event, because it was the first that time that an African artist would perform twice at a mythic hall. Also in that era, the Congolese community was just present for 1 generation in Europe, which means that it had not the same amount of people like 25 years ago. Events like Double Zenith would made guys different fan-clubs around Europe (Germany, Italy, U.K., Portugal, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, etc.) and guys like Photo Joel Mbetenge, Patcho Panda, etc. in Paris and Brussels mobilize people for the event.
Background;
After the huge succes of Werrason’s Bercy and shortly before the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa, Werrason said to several Afro-diaspora press (such as RFI, MCM Africa and Africa N1) that because of selling Bercy out, he was planning to do a triple event at Zenith as next big event. Doing a double event at Zenith wouldn't make sense in his eyes, because he sold Bercy out (which had a capacity of 17.000) at that time and by doing a triple event at Zenith, he would reach 18.000 (3x6.000).
For whatever reason, the double-zenith project appeared shortly after the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa. It had been said that the already reached the amount of a gold-record like Solola Bien and late Jean Pierre Saah said that his desire was to get a platium-record, requiring different influent staffmembers and donors to buy huge amounts of copies.
In the same period, talks about of a double event at Zenith started and a special ceremony of for a gold record of Solola Bien (which didn't got presented at Bercy) and Kibuisa Mpimpa (which never officialy got confirmed as a gold record) at the event. The show was announced for february the 17th and 18th, but got quickly postponed to march. In meantime, Werrason was enjoying the huge succes of his solo-album through different concerts in Kinshasa (Camp Luka, Masina, Bandalungwa, etc.) and tourdates in Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The succes of his solo-album Kibuisa Mpimpa, made him getting nominated for the Kora Awards in three categories (best videoclip, best male artist of central africa and best male artist of africa).
In november 2001, Werrason won 2 kora’s for the categories best male artist of central africa and best male artist of africa. The succes made him earn the nickname ‘Père Double’. Werrason would present his kora’s to president Joseph Kabila Kabange. However, there also some incidents. There was a fight between singer Spino La Djatence of Wenge Tonya Tonya and Wenge Maison Mère members Baby Ndombe, Jus d’Ete Mulopwe, Bill Clinton and Ferre Gola after that they were invited to a tv-channel to talk about their succes at the Kora awards. Also during the Kora Awards, Werrason made a blunder by saying “lets cultivate hate” instead of “lets cultivate peace”, something that would made Wenge BCBG’s spokemen Blanchard Mosaka attack him being doing an interview as comedy-sketch on tv, where he would "cultivate hate". Shortly after the triumph of the Kora’s official dates were announced for Werrason at Zenith de Paris for 8 and 9 may and a poster being made.
The Prelude;
In january 2002, JPS Production finally released the VHS of Kibuisa Mpimpa videos clips. As bonus, the dance Koyimbi-Ko got presented, that took Kinshasa by storm since summer 2001. The dance which was already visualed in different videos of Kinshasa-concerts made by Maison Mère, would from the release of the Kibuisa Mpimpa-VHS really take the Congolese diaspora over. In the same month, Werrason did a succesful double-show at the 2.000 mythic Cinemax-hall (formerly known as Cine Palladium). Concertpromoter Junior Mac Kenro, who produced Werrason at Stade des Martyrs in June 2001, came with a project to let him perform twice at the same stadium in March 2002. But the event got later cancelled, because of Werrason wanting to fully concentrate on the preparation of his Zenith-shows, wanting it do on upon his return from his Europe-tour along with a double event at the stadium of Lubumbashi.
In February, the concertdates for Zenith were pushed to April the 26th and 27th and also announcement made for a double event at Palais des Beaux Arts 'also known as BOZAR in Brussels for May the 18th and 19th. In the same month, President Joseph Kabila would celebrate his 1 year on power at Grand Hotel de Kinshasa, where several important guests were invited including Werrason and JB Mpiana. Cover-band The Best was invited to perform, but during the celebration, Joseph Kabila wanted to see JB Mpiana and Werrason performing together and shake hands. Both guys didn't had any choice then performing and shaked their hands. But shortly the following day JB Mpiana fell badly on the ground, which made his hand getting broken. The incident created alot of polemic with people claiming that JB's arm was broken, due to shaking hands with Werrason and that he had occult powers who were superior than those of JB. The claims would quickly being denied by the BCBG-camp, who said that it was just an accident, claiming that Werrason was scared to look JB Mpiana in his eyes, that JB Mpiana didn't appreciate Bill and just clapped his hands. On the Maison-Mère, they claimed that JB Mpiana was happy and their fan, saying that it was his dream to meet Werrason, while Werrason doesn't rate him and his rival his Michael Jackson. In addition, they indirectly confirmed the words what people were saying on the streets, saying that JB Mpiana arm was broken, because he didn't had any power. The meeting of JB Mpiana and Werrason, made neutral fans wonder if there would come any project of a concert together or an album. Some were even wondering it meant the end of the JB-Werra rivalerly (1998-2002). But the war would keeping going, but with less impact due to the problems that would come for the BCBG-camp
Somewhere in March 2002, Werrason decided to cancel all his concerts-shows in Kinshasa to fully prepare the Zenith-shows at Zamba Playa and also the A La Que Leu Leu-album with rehearshals starting from 9 in the morning till 11 in the evening. In the weeks prior to the Double Zenith-event, crazy rumors were spread in Kinshasa and Europe about Bill Clinton being transformed into a Lion when being in a hotel with a girl, Ferre face transforming in a Dragon when being with his girlfriend, friends or familymembers of different bandmembers passing away, girls getting miscarriages, friends or familymembers passing away, etc. The many rumors didn't prevent the group to fully concentrate on their rehearshals. In the same month, Werrason would fully support his elder brother Koffi Olomidé, who would do his show at Stade des Martyrs, presenting him at Zamba Playa in front of his fans and Heritier and Bill Clinton mobilizing fans on tv to support Koffi.
In the month of the double event, a VHS produced by Martin Mapangu came on the market, where journalist Helene Kalema would interview Werrason at La Zamba Playa to talk about the show and present the dancers and singers. There would also come a VHS on market produced by JC Songo of Werrason's show at Hall de Gombe which had some parts of a rehearshal at Zamba Playa as bonus, them promoting the Double Zenith event
Day 1;
Werrason gave his first show at Zenith on April the 26th. The show was sponsored by Western Union and was broadcasted live on French-tv channel Telesud and TV5 Afrique (only being seen in the African countries having TV5). However there some technical issues before the show, which made it start late. The lead-guitar of Flamme Kapaya was for a huge part inaudible. Serge Mabiala, who was in prison managed to get the same day in Paris, but didn't get the chance to perform on stage. The Koyimbi-Ko who were orginally with three Koyimbi-Ko dancers, came only with two, because one of them seeing his visa getting denied.
The show would being released on VHS as volume 2, while day 2 would get released as volume 1. For the DVD's it was the other way around. Werra's haircut would get used by different pastors like during the days of Kibuisa Mpimpa (where they claimed that Werrason representing the devil by promoting the dragon), for their preaches, claiming that Werrason was paying tribute to a demon. Years later, Werrason would reveal in an interview that the he didn't sell out the venue during the first day of the double zenith-event.
Day 2;
1 month before the show, Wenge Tonya Tonya announced that they would perform the same day in Paris to prove Werrason. But due to pressure from different influential politicians and donors, Adolphe Dominguez decided to cancel the event. The politicians saw the event as an occassian to get Congo once again on the map on the international field and also way to see Congolese people united.
The second day of Zenith was a huge success, where Werrason showed up with a Punk-haircut during the first day, he showed during second day with an afro as a haircut and a triumphal entrance by a motorcycle.
During the show, late Jean Pierre Saah presented the gold record of Solola Bien to Werrason. When returning to Kinshasa in december 2002, fans were excepting to see the gold record. Patcho Panda would arrive 3 months later with it, getting a triumphal reception by Bana Tshangu and the gold record getting presented at La Zamba Playa. Fans of Maison Mère would claim that the gold-record of Solola Bien was real and certified by SACEM due to his design compared to the gold record of JB Mpiana for Feux de l'Amour. Years later, Baby Ndombe would claim after his departure that the gold-record was Solola Bien was fake and it didn't reach the amount of 100.000 copies, adding that Werrason just did it, because he wanted to prove JB Mpiana a point.
During second day of the Double-Zenith event, Ivorian group Magic System presented to Werrason, the trophee he won at that Kunde Awards, while being absent. Years later when the Coupe-Decale genre started to supplant Ndombolo, Werrason would use that moment in several interviews, as a way to say that he was superior to them and they know his power, despite them having commercial hits in France everywhere (Bouger Bouger, Un Gaou à Oran, C'est Chaud Ca Brule, etc.)
After the Bercy-show, rumors were spread by those who didn't attend the show that Werrason didn't thank the fanclubs and influent fans/donors that promoted his show. Adolphe Dominguez would support these claims after his departure. It's only months later when the second volume of the official VHS came out, that people discovered that he thanked them, but that it was towards the end of the show. Some influential fans complained about it. In order to not dissapoint them, Werrason decided during the second day of double zenith, to thank them a bit earlier on stage compared to Bercy where it was towards the end
The second day of Werra's event at Zenith, would get released in two parts for as cassettes (volume 1: 1ere partie and volume 1: 2eme partie) and as volume 2 for DVDs. Along with the first day of double Zenith-event, it would sell as hot sandwhiches. The DVD's and cassettes would get released by JPS Production.
Aftermath;
After the show, Werrason would return the following week to Kinshasa to do a show with the second team of Maison Mère (Operation Dragon), sponsored by Vodacom. He would return back to France, to give his first show of the tour in London on May 12th and the following one being the double event at BOZAR in Brussels a week later. The tour would last 8 months long.
As reponse to Werra's double event at Zenith, Wenge BCBG said that they would do a triple-zenith event in autumn 2002, which quickly got changed into double zenith. Like the events at Palais du Peuple and Stade des Martyrs, it was a way to show the rival a point about who would have a bigger attendance. The project got pushed to 2003 until it totally dissapeared which coincided with the visa-problems that JB Mpiana got for his band. Shortly after the double zenith-event, JB Mpiana who was meant to perform at 3.500 seats Palais des Congres (it was a project of Felix Petit, but got cancelled due to JB Mpiana asking to much money), ended up by doing a double event in the place at the Trabendo-hall, which had a capacity of 700 places (produced by concerpromoter Badive)
In the period Koffi Olomidé released the clips of his album Effrakata in february 2002, he announced in the bonus next to his show of Stade des Martyrs, a triple event at Olympia for June 2002. The event was meant to be produced by Felix Petit, who was the same organiser of Werra's double zenith-event. At that time the announcement was not seen in a bad eye. The event got cancelled because of Felix Petit having some logistic difficulties and pushed to August 2002, but still not taking place and Koffi who had already his visa's and contract signed for different tourdates in Europe, just decided to start his touring the following month. When the tensions really started between Werrason & Koffi Olomide and Koffi came with a new announcement of the triple-olympia for January 2003 (which also got cancelled in favor for a the double zenith event of wake up with papa wemba and koffi olomide, that would get cancelled as well) , the Maison-Mère camp claimed that Koffi just wanted to copy Werra's double Zenith event. When Koffi released Affaire d'Etat, they claimed that the cover was just inspired from Werra's entrance at Zenith with a motorcycle. Also when the clips came out, the Maison-Mère camp claimed that the choreography was just a copy of Wenge Maison Mère's intro of Double-Zenith. There was even a reportage made by a television-channel of Kinshasa with Maison Mère-fans reacting angry on tv against Koffi.
Towards, october/november 2002 an announcement came of Koffi Olomidé and Papa Wemba doing a double event at Zenith de Paris for febuary the 8th and 9th, to finally do their show of their Wake-Up album and for peace in DR Congo. It got first got denied by Papa Wemba, but later confirmed and Papa Wemba at some point visiting Koffi at one of his Europe-concerts with his former dancers and also a video being shown on tv with both guys signing their contracts. In reaction to the event, Photo Joel Mbetenge claimed that it was a way to fight the Clan-Wenge generation, that both Papa Wemba & Koffi Olomidé need to accept that their time is over and said that they would counter the event by organising a double event at Palais des Sports of Werrason and JB Mpiana. The Double Zenith-event would however not taking place, due to a disagreement between Koffi and the concerpromoter and immediately after that Nouvelle Ecriture in Kinshasa attacking Koffi on tv.
Years later, when JB Mpiana, Werrason and Papa Wemba started a front against Koffi. Koffi-fans claimed as reponse to many allegiations of copying Clan Wenge, that Werrason stole Koffi's idea of doing Double Zenith, since that Koffi planned to do it in summer 2001, but the event planned for sunday getting cancelled a few weeks before the event.
