Ok so I notice a handful of you have connections within the congolese/african music industry. I have interest in doing maybe 1 or 2 rumbas for a project I am planning however I have no access to any song writers or producers. (Although I may be able to get my tonton pepe felly to play for me but he is very busy. I may reach out to him for advise as well)

My question is if I wanted to make an audition video of me singing some songs how would I be able to grab the attention of possible sponsors? Sponsorship is most important as I understand songwriters and instrumentalists are not free.

What should the audition reel contain? once complete who should it be sent to? Should I post several youtubes of me singing certain songs and push them to certain websites and try to make a little name for my self that way first??

It is important to note I am a rapper first and foremost and am not necessarily trying to start a career in congolese music but im seeking to show the congolese side of my heritage similar to how wyclef has done being haitian (im haitian too but I want to be a congolese wyclef for my ppl here, if you catch my drift). Share your expertise with me congovibes family. I have many ideas I need a place to start.

It's funny if you know how Congolese music is funded, those days are gone when producers including the likes of Franco and Verkys used to take on projects/sponsor someone for a complete album or song.  It's also difficult to do things via remote control/emails or online auditions. I think the only way you can guarantee some form of success for this sort of project is by  travelling to Kinshasa or Europe, you need to involve a major songwriter/composer like Do Akongo,El Dorado or Jean Goulbald or even younger ones who don't need much money like Gaultier Bidens who is an underground songwriter/composer for the likes of Ferre and Werra etc .

In Europe you could also consider Olivier Tshimanga . All these composers need to listen to you live and they would then know how best to work with you to bring out something good that they can then sell,they can record something with you then find someone to buy that song and then they change the lyrics, by buying I mean someone like Didi Kinuani. Moise Katumbi or a politician like Sassou Nguesso or even an ordinary person with money paying money for a particular song and the composer then changes the lyrics so that the song is specifically for that sponsor so for instance if archos decides to buy that song ie he pays you or the composer $1,000 to record a song, then you find that the composer will ask you to sing a song that will be centred around archos eg '' Archos, zonga na ndako, po nini otiki ngai,awa nazo bela maladie ya bolingo...... '' etc that's why you find that each song in an album contains songs full of people's names or the singer will be singing about a known figure for instance Didi Kinuani.  This is how Congolese musicians fund their albums and it takes a very long time to finish one album coz sometimes they are overwhelmed by the number of people who pay for songs or mere mentioning of names on songs which is what they call as mabanga/libanga.

Mabanga is also one of the main reasons why most bands these days do too many rhumba songs because they can mention 100 names on one rhumba but on a generique or during sebene you can only mention a limited number of names otherwise you mess up the ''ambiance.''

thank you for your reply DJ Sly. i appreciate your input. to be honest I wasn't expecting to book the biggest names. I only know pepe felly is someone i can reach out to because he is my father's good friend and insisted i call him ton ton so i know this is someone who is family and will hear me out if i came to him. So I understand fully. I guess in a way I was wishing there was perhaps a way to reach out to some congolese mucisians who might not necessarily be the best known but would be willing to collaborate with me on this and I know it will cost money but i don't think i can afford these big names. to be honest i can not afford to travel abroad at this time either.

i have worked with reggae artist and rappers in the past and most of it was me going to a studio recording my part and sending it. i understand in congolese music especially for what i'm trying to do there has to be more face to face interaction (facetime/skype would be a good tool). perhaps i can find some congolse musicians here in the united states but my only problem is the only congolese ppl i know do not do secular music (if they even do music at all).

my dad has some connections but they are from the old school lol not that there is anything wrong with that but for this particular 1 or 2 songs i want to do something more in line with this generation .

Tonton(uncle) Felly would be the best person but since you mention that you don't mind finding a local Congolese musician there then the best who is actually  a young and promising musician is JBLUE el Buddha who was previously with General Defao. He was recently in Europe to promote his new album so am not sure if he's returned to the US yet.

Another young person who can hook you up with JBlue or other US based Congolese artists is Garry Iwele(GI) of the Bakolo States fame , https://www.facebook.com/GarryIwelegiBakoloStates
He's a popular figure there and music critic,he also covered the graduation of Werrason's daughter as you'll see in the videos here on the forum.

Tonton(uncle) Felly would be the best person but since you mention that you don't mind finding a local Congolese musician there then the best who is actually  a young and promising musician is JBLUE el Buddha who was previously with General Defao. He was recently in Europe to promote his new album so am not sure if he's returned to the US yet.

Another young person who can hook you up with JBlue or other US based Congolese artists is Garry Iwele(GI) of the Bakolo States fame , https://www.facebook.com/GarryIwelegiBakoloStates
He's a popular figure there and music critic,he also covered the graduation of Werrason's daughter as you'll see in the videos here on the forum.

thank you very much for all of the information. Jblue i have heard of but I don't know his music. and funny enough i remember the name garry iwele from when he interviewed sisqo in dc a few years back lol i did not know he was also an artist.

To be even more transparent. I am not looking for a full production. I would prefer to do something where its just me and a guitarist (maybe one drummer) but acoustic feeling. and also the writing i would want to be a collaboration. I am not good with melodies but I already have ideas for what i want to write the song about (and some lyrics already written). i should have mentioned this in the first place lol

thank you very much for all of the information. Jblue i have heard of but I don't know his music. and funny enough i remember the name garry iwele from when he interviewed sisqo in dc a few years back lol i did not know he was also an artist.

Yes,the guy who did the Sisqo interview, that's GI Garry Iwele, he's not an artist but music critic and runs or used to run the show ''Bakolo States''  where he featured musicians including big musicians like Koffi,JB,Werra and them lot, he should be able to hook you up with some Congolese musicians there who should help you with your ideas.

To be even more transparent. I am not looking for a full production. I would prefer to do something where its just me and a guitarist (maybe one drummer) but acoustic feeling. and also the writing i would want to be a collaboration. I am not good with melodies but I already have ideas for what i want to write the song about (and some lyrics already written). i should have mentioned this in the first place lol

I think I have an idea of what you want to do and yes, I think all you need really is a good Congolese guitarist and you should be able to create something good just the two of you using an acoustic guitar then when you create something, you can then work on infusing another artist to do some lines if you really want a collabo or duet that way you can then take the song in its entirety and share the vocal parts with different singers on the project.

To be even more transparent. I am not looking for a full production. I would prefer to do something where its just me and a guitarist (maybe one drummer) but acoustic feeling. and also the writing i would want to be a collaboration. I am not good with melodies but I already have ideas for what i want to write the song about (and some lyrics already written). i should have mentioned this in the first place lol

I think I have an idea of what you want to do and yes, I think all you need really is a good Congolese guitarist and you should be able to create something good just the two of you using an acoustic guitar then when you create something, you can then work on infusing another artist to do some lines if you really want a collabo or duet that way you can then take the song in its entirety and share the vocal parts with different singers on the project.

these are very good ideas. again thank you. as i am completing my EP and going into creating my full lenth album this idea came to me and i want to be ready when the time comes. the rest of the LP will be easy for me. once i am done with that i will be looking into getting this done for the album. who knows maybe by then i will be in a position to meet with people abroad.

these are very good ideas. again thank you. as i am completing my EP and going into creating my full lenth album this idea came to me and i want to be ready when the time comes. the rest of the LP will be easy for me. once i am done with that i will be looking into getting this done for the album. who knows maybe by then i will be in a position to meet with people abroad.

Yes, that's the way to go,wish you all the best,when you're done give us an extract we advise.

I like this forum
some learning to play guitars(me)
budding artists among us
aspiring producers (me)
what others am I forgetting
congrats Nsalu

these are very good ideas. again thank you. as i am completing my EP and going into creating my full lenth album this idea came to me and i want to be ready when the time comes. the rest of the LP will be easy for me. once i am done with that i will be looking into getting this done for the album. who knows maybe by then i will be in a position to meet with people abroad.

Yes, that's the way to go,wish you all the best,when you're done give us an extract we advise.

thank you and most definitely!! 

I like this forum
some learning to play guitars(me)
budding artists among us
aspiring producers (me)
what others am I forgetting
congrats Nsalu

thank you i wish you the best as well!! 

Good to hear that you want to be a producer Shamala.

Good to hear that you want to be a producer Shamala.

why not. when I go on my 2014 annual leave I plan to apprentice with a producer who has worked with famous congolese musicians here in Nairobi . he will tutor me on the strings as well.

Kenyan producers at shoddy or at best connen....I intend to correct this.