Music as an art is a form of expression. The feelings expressed can be love, hatred, anger, gratitude, or anything else. For the song “Chicotte” by Franco, it is anger at its extreme end. What irked Franco to this level of anger?
Sample this verse from the song:Nabikisa yo na liwa Nani abungi likambo yango Opolaki olumbi solo oh Obimaki nde soi ya mobesu Okomaki ebembe ya l’etat Nasupportaki bosoto yango lokuta na yo Okutaki nga na OK Jazz Nakomisa yo ndenge ozali Lelo olobi ngai enemi
Which translates to:You were a rotting carcass I saved from the jaws of death. Today I've become your enemy. You found me at OK Jazz. I made you who you are. Now you declare me an enemy.
The song was composed as a jibe at Franco’s erstwhile friend, Jean Kwamy Munsi. Jean had been a singer/composer with OKJ from 1961 to 1966, when he had a bitter fallout with Franco.
This led to his departure from OKJ to African Fiesta of Tabu Ley and Dr. Nico. It is from there that he composed the song “Faux Millionaire” (False Millionaire), which was an attack on Franco. This made Franco respond with two songs: “Chicotte” and “Course au Pouvoir.”
Kwamy didn’t take it lightly and responded again, this time with a double.
All these five songs are classic masterpieces, and one could argue that the altercation had a positive impact on music, as it pushed creativity a notch higher. Take the example of “Course au Pouvoir.”
The song artistically captures the altercation between the two. Franco engages in an instrumental “argument” on his solo guitar with Verckys on his saxophone. The song came out so well and remains one of the band’s most iconic tracks.
Who was this Kwamy Munsi? This OKJ singer, who sang almost like but slightly differently from Youlou, was born on November 9, 1939, in Kinshasa and died on March 2, 1982. He was the eldest son of Jean Kabambare and Henriette Ngali.
This singer with a velvety voice grew up in Ngiri-Ngiri, the same neighborhood where Franco had grown up, although after Franco’s time there. Like every boy of the slum, he was deeply involved in football along Kingabwa Avenue throughout his childhood.
He attended a Salvation Army primary school in the neighborhood for his basic education and later transitioned to Kasai for his secondary education. He later trained as a teacher. However, like Ntesa and Dr. Nico, the music bug bit him early in life. The pull from classroom teaching to the stage and studio as a singer was overwhelming.
This made him teach himself how to achieve the delicate act of juggling the two occupations. Kwamy became a teacher by day and a musician by night. His first big stage appearance was in 1959. He performed with Vedette Jazz, a band associated with Isaac Musekiwa, who also played sax for OKJ and African Jazz. Isaac was the very first native African to play sax in a Congolese music recording. It was also at Vedette Jazz that Kwamy met Mulamba Mpanya, aka Mujos, with whom he later served as a singer for OKJ.
Kwamy joined OKJ in 1961. He marked his territory with the song “Liwa Ya Wech,” a track he composed in tribute to François Biwetsha, a popular footballer with AS Vita Club of Kinshasa who had died in a road accident.
In quick succession, he also composed “Camarade Ya Kinshasa,” “Mbanda Eleki Ngai,” “Jalousie Ya Bas,” “Bolingo Ya Bougie,” among many others. In 1966, Kwamy’s rebellious nature began showing. He, alongside musicians Boyibanda, Mujos, Musekiwa, Brazzos, Dessoin, and Tshamala Piccolo, was pushed out of OK Jazz by an army man to create Orchestra Revolution. The band didn’t last long and crumbled after four albums, with most musicians finding their way back to OKJ.
In the same year, the now-restless Kwamy found himself at African Fiesta of Dr. Nico and Tabu Ley. The band was in its sunset days. Here, the gifted composer and singer impressed with the song “Belinda.” He blended well with the Fiesta school of rumba, which had a distinctive singing style that suited his voice better than OKJ. It was also during this period that he composed “Faux Millionaire,” an indirect jibe aimed at Franco, his former boss. Another song was “Libata Ameli Mbuma.”
Franco responded with “Chicotte” and “Course au Pouvoir,” and the unrelenting Kwamy returned fire with “Camarade Ya Kinshasa” and “Nakobanga Mangungu Te.”
From African Fiesta, he crossed the river to Brazzaville to join Les Bantous de la Capitale. With this band, he did several compositions, among them “Nono Tomeseni Mingi.”In 1970, as fate would have it, he rejoined his friend-turned-enemy Franco at OKJ. This re-entry coincided with the implementation of the government program known as Authenticité, which aimed to get rid of colonial relics and adopt authentic African names and ways.
Musicians had been incorporated as promoters of this ideology, with claims that Mobutu paid handsomely for the venture. To mark his comeback, he composed “République du Zaïre,” which is probably his most popular song. He also did “Nakueyi Tapis” and “Kamalandwa” around the same time.
His second entry at OKJ didn’t last long. Around 1973, he was again missing in action. He had flown to Europe for a few musical projects that involved Grand Kallé and Cuban flutist Gonzalez. Upon his return, he briefly sang with Youlou in an outfit they co-owned before joining Vévé of Verckys. It is here that he composed the song “Vivita,” which also became a hit. He also did “Étoile Ya Sika.”
His very last musical home was Afrisa International of Tabu Ley, which he joined in 1980. Here he did the song “Linda Soleil.” He died on March 2, 1982. His controversial career notwithstanding, he was a fine musician with immense contributions to Congolese rumba.
By Jerome Ogola
Your Home of African Tunes
MP3 128 Kbps
AAC 64 Kbps
MP3 192 Kbps
Friendly Link
Advertise here: Marketing@jabulaniradio.com
"Advertise Smarter with Jabulani Radio"
Reach global and local audiences with Jabulani Radio. Using modern tech, we offer customized advertising solutions that fit your needs.
"Grow with Us"
Leverage multiple social media platforms with hundreds of thousands of followers. Brand your product with our proven technology and watch your business thrive. The world is changing—advertise smarter with Jabulani Radio.