Wenge Musica B.C.B.G. 4X4 Tout Terrain "Les Anges Adorables"







Extra Musica Zangul "La Difference"

Ain't even a question Wenge Musica easily ruled the 90's and influenced Extra Musica, for me Wenge could be even better than the real Viva La Musica.

Uhhhh Wenge better than the Viva La Musica of Emeneya, Dindo Yogo, Esperant, Debaba and Huits Kilo? the band who imposed la S.A.P.E. in the Congolese music-industry? The band who was 5 years in a row the best band of Zaire above Zaiko, Afrisa and OK Jazz and who slaughtered these bands during Fara-Fara's. The band who swept Yoka Lokole and Isifi of Evoloko away from Kinshasa. Te wana, olekisi

Can't believe you would ask such a question 

Off course Extra Musica was inspired by Wenge Musica and it's a fact that Wenge Musica was the best. Apart from the likes of Franco and his TPOK Jazz, Papa Wemba in his own capacity, Tabu Ley, Mbilia Bell, Tshala Muana, Kanda Bongoman,Zaiko as a group and other great names,it is Wenge Musica which made a massive impact at home and across the border.

The band Viva never made a big name outside Congo, it was Papa Wemba in his individual capacity. Then we also had Koffi and his Quartier Latin, they tried to beat Wenge but nope,it's Wenge's music which managed to break the international market but Extra did well too,they came with force but they sounded like a photocopy of Wenge Musica.
 

I am hungry so my answer is a two word: wenge musica.

Uhhhh Wenge better than the Viva La Musica of Emeneya, Dindo Yogo, Esperant, Debaba and Huits Kilo? the band who imposed la S.A.P.E. in the Congolese music-industry? The band who was 5 years in a row the best band of Zaire above Zaiko, Afrisa and OK Jazz and who slaughtered these bands during Fara-Fara's. The band who swept Yoka Lokole and Isifi of Evoloko away from Kinshasa. Te wana, olekisi

Oui pure et simple, Viva yes had better singers yes but they wasn't the full package or complete like Wenge they took that style to a different dimension especially with dancing and plus their impact so big that groups outside the country copied e.g. Extra Musica who are also very talented but at the end of the day the impact Wenge made I don't think there's many groups that can match with them they were literally the untouchable in their prime simple

Can't believe you would ask such a question 

Wenge Musica is for me also better, but I asked this question because many friends of me from West-Africa says always that Extra Musica is better

extra promoted themselves better in west africa,in ivory coast for example they went there much more than wenge and also "advantage" extra had is the name of roga roga which went very popular in west africa through praising him when doing his solo in songs
so roga is a massive star there,treated like a king when going there

Some of you all say that Extra copied Wenge, I cannot agree with this at all.  When you listen to the sound of Extra Musica it is the most unique of any Congolese band I've ever heard. I dont have to hear any words, just give me the first 30 sec of the song and I can tell its them. Wenge, not so much so. Im looking at this all through the eyes and ears of a non Congolese person living in the States.
I think if you were to go down the line and compare each person/aspect of the band Wenge would be the winner but as a unit Extra was the better band in my opinion.  Their downside has and continues to be that the sound hasnt really evolved much since the days of Etat Major. On this side of the atlantic and Im sure across West Africa, Extra's songs are much bigger hits. To this day you can play Etat Major in any African party and people still go crazy...(almost 20years later!).  Ive said it before but when it comes to the heavy sound, Extra is the clear winner.

Why are we talking about Viva? 

To this day you can play Etat Major in any African party and people still go.....

That was a hit yes but wenge had many generics to their name.

Some of you all say that Extra copied Wenge, I cannot agree with this at all.  When you listen to the sound of Extra Musica it is the most unique of any Congolese band I've ever heard. I dont have to hear any words, just give me the first 30 sec of the song and I can tell its them. Wenge, not so much so. Im looking at this all through the eyes and ears of a non Congolese person living in the States.
I think if you were to go down the line and compare each person/aspect of the band Wenge would be the winner but as a unit Extra was the better band in my opinion.  Their downside has and continues to be that the sound hasnt really evolved much since the days of Etat Major. On this side of the atlantic and Im sure across West Africa, Extra's songs are much bigger hits. To this day you can play Etat Major in any African party and people still go crazy...(almost 20years later!).  Ive said it before but when it comes to the heavy sound, Extra is the clear winner.

Why are we talking about Viva? 

I'll have to disagree with you my friend....From it's conception, Extra Musica is like the descendent of Wenge Musica 4x4 just like 4x4 copied Victoria!
Just look at their line up
Abilisi=JB or Aimelia
Oxygene=Bula
Guy-guy Fall=Werra
Copa=better version of Tata
Quentin= JB
Rama=Titina
Durel=Fi-Carre(since des can both play Mi and lead)
Roga= Makaba(direction artistic)
Espe= Masela.
Herman= Tata's clown

You saying over 20yrs later Etat Major still has impact, yes I agree I'll even add Losambo! Now, would you compare it with the succes Kalayi,Kin é Bouger,Pile ou Face, Pentagone, Ndombolo and songs like Feux de l'Amour,Filandu, Voyage, Dizoizo, Coco Madimba, Princess Pathy....I'll give one thing to EMZ tho, they knew how to sell themselves world wild compare to WM4x4 who only sold themselves to Zaïrians abroad.

Talking about tge sound, that goes to what one's like to hear. I listen to both side but I can compare the Work that Makaba did in 91(materials that EM were playing at Funerals) to what EM came out with in 97-98...thats like comparing ZAIKO LL of the 80's to Thu Zahina lol

In terms of line up, I still wouldnt necessarily agree that they copied them.  Again Im young and not Congolese so I dont know the dynamics of the early days so I am speaking purely in terms of what I see today (especially living in the States). Many bands have similar type of line ups, Im referring to the sound the band produces.  Extra Musica has one of the most distinctive sounds vs any other congolese band. Today many other Brazza bands copy RogaRoga's sound but it is theirs.  When I listen to songs like Chagrin plus plus, Freddy Nelson, Losambo, Obligatoire and even Roga Rogas songs today, no one does it like them.  The only downside I see to the group that Wenge has over them in terms of sound is they dont evolve their sound much within an album or even album to album.  They havent gone through nearly as many musicians as Wenge and its clans have gone through either.

Roga Roga is not a better guitarist than Makaba but many of his solos can go toe to toe with Makaba's.  Durel is better than Ficarre.

Thank you Mvulusi for bringing this one, its a topic have heard with my little bro for sometime now and whoever feels this is far fetched is economical with the truth. Am yet to listen to any extra musica song which is a push over. Am not saying that extra were better but I want to insist they were worthy if not better. Roga roga was and is a refined artiste and businessman while Makaba is an excellent artiste, that perhaps could have played part also.

for me Extra musica is better than Wenge musica 4x4 . their style of atalakus (chorus) is different from musician of kinshasa. Take an example when ndombolo style or shamkwale style were on fire...extra musica didnt copy such kind of music but wenge did.
Also roga roga is better than alain makaba because roga is not only a soloist but also song writer (most of songs of extra musica composed by himself), he is a dancer, singer, music arrangement ability, leader, and has an abilty of recruit new musician and thats why his bend still active although most of original member already leave the band.