Papa Wemba was one of the very first musicians to join the influential Soukous band, Zaiko Langa Langa when it was created on December 24, 1969 in Kinshasa (Capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) along with such well known Congolese musicians as Nyoka Longo Jossart, Manuaku Pepe Felly, Evoloko Lay Lay, Teddy Sukamu, Zamuangana Enock, Mavuela Simeon, and others.
In a Congolese musical world dominated at the time by Franco Luambo and his remarkable band TPOK Jazz, Tabu Ley Rochereau's Afrisa, and by then-new musical groups like Les Grands Maquisards, Le Trio Madjesi, and even younger bands like Bella-Bella, Thu Zaina and Empire Bakuba, the young and talented Papa Wemba (then known as Jules Presley Shungu Wembadio), was one of the driving forces that by 1973 made Zaiko Langa Langa one of the most-performing dominant Congolese groups, featuring such popular numbers as "Chouchouna" (Papa Wemba), "Eluzam" and " Mbeya Mbeya" (Evoloko Lay Lay), "BP ya Munu" (Efonge Gina) and "Zania" (Mavuela Somo).
In December 1974, at the pinnacle of their fame (and just a month after the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa), Shungu Wembadio (Papa Wemba), along with Evoloko Lay Lay, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana (who'd joined Zaiko Langa Langa a year earlier), left Zaiko Langa Langa to establish their own musical ensemble Isifi Lokole, ISIFI being an acronym for "Institut de Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles." In July 1975, Shungu Wembadio officially adopted the soon-to-be-well-known worldwide artist name Papa Wemba, the addition of "Papa" (father) an allusion to what were in fact rather awesome family responsiblities as the first son in a family where both father and mother (Wemba's parents) had been deceased since the 1960s.
The "feux d'artifice" (fireworks) that was Isifi Lokole would only last a year, with the single "Amazone" (Papa Wemba) as its biggest commercial "hit" record. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana abandoned Evoloko Lay Lay and Isifi Lokole to create the group Yoka Lokole (also known as The Kinshasha All-Stars, or Lokole Isifi, or simply Isifi), along with Mbuta Mashakado, another Zaiko Langa Langa 'transfusion.' Yoka Lokole enjoyed slightly less popular success than the original Isifi Lokole, but for a time still managed to remain at the top the African pop music wave with hit songs like "Matembele Bangui", "Lisuma ya Zazu" (Papa Wemba), "Mavuela Sala Keba", and "Bana Kin" (Mavuela Somo).
Like Isifi Lokole, the electronic-instrument driven Yoka Lokole (or The Kinshasha All-Stars) would not last much longer than a year, given the merger of so many big-name talents in the band's lineup. After a year of modest success, controversies within Yoka Lokole over money and prestige (complicated by Wemba's arrest and brief incarceration in Kinshasa Central prison in December 1976 for the 'crime' of being suspected of having had physical intimacy with an influential army general's daughter) would lead Papa Wemba, then feeling diminished by peers and neglected by the public, to form his own group Viva la Musica in February 1977.
At his home in the Matonge neighborhood of Kinshasa, Papa Wemba structured Viva la Musica around young talented artists like singers Kisangani Esperant, Jadot le Cambodgien, Pepe Bipoli and Petit Aziza, guitarists Rigo Star, Syriana, and Bongo Wende. The group had nearly instantaneous success, with hit songs like "Mere Superieure," "Mabele Mokonzi," "Bokulaka," "Princesse ya Sinza," and others.
During the height of his success in 1977, Papa Wemba's family home, which had become a popular, some even said hallowed/special place for Matonge youths to gather "à la mode" (i.e., to be cool) was named the "Village Molokai," and Wemba assumed the exalted moniker "Chef Coutumier" (Chief) of the Village of Molokai. In those days people referred to Papa Wemba as the "chief from the heartland (village)" to differentiate him from Kinshasa-born musical bigshots Mavuela Somo and Mashakado. However years later Mavuela would say that their difficulties only simply amounted to trivial foolishness over money, ambition and fame between some very-young people (that at the time they all were).
Since 1977, Viva la Musica has seen both the 'defections' of musicians every two or three years and the entrée and emergence of other new talents. King Kester Emeneya (1977-1982), Koffi Olomide (1978-1979), Djuna Djanana (1978-1981), Dindo Yogo (1979-1981), Maray-Maray (1980-1984), Lidjo Kwempa (1982-2001), Reddy Amissi (1982-2001), Stino Mubi (1983-2001) are among the currently well-known Congolese musicians who have served at one time or another with Viva la Musica. An old Kinshasa anecdote says that a college student then-named Antoine Agbepa Koffi was such an impressive songwriter that one day in 1977 Papa Wemba exhorted, "Ooh! l'homme idee" (Oh! the idea-man!) thereby on-the-spot renaming the impressive young singer-songwriter Koffi 'Olomide'--and the name stuck!
After the wave of African emigration to Europe in the 1990s, Wemba maintained one group in Kinshasa (called at times "Nouvelle Ecriture," "Nouvel Ecrita," and now again "Viva la Musica") and another one in Paris ("Nouvelle Generation," "La Cour des Grands," and now "Viva Tendance"). He has also consistently maintained a very high profile in World Music with such great hits as "L'Esclave" (1986), "Le Voyageur, Maria Valencia" (1992), "Foridoles, Dixieme Commandement" (1994), "Emotion" (1995), "Pole Position" (1996), "Fula Ngenge" (1999), "Bakala dia Kuba" (2001), and "Somo Trop" (2003). Many would assign Wemba the status of African-music "living legend," as few others in history could claim (Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Miriam Makeba certainly among them).
Papa Wemba is also known as an actor. In 1987, he played the male lead role in the successful Zairean (Congolese) film La Vie est Belle by Belgian director Benoit Lami and Congolese producer-director Ngangura Mweze.
Kaokokokorobo
Papa Wemba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Torenye lokola yo na likolo
biso bayanke na se
Amen
Amen
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
Mbila amira pale
Masta batindika ye
Petite abendana
uta azwa lupemba
azwa kiboba,
Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Influence ya coup d'œil
Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa
na ndenge ya kolo dais
Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman
Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
Ngai naleli
Eldo tchedido
Errare humanum est
Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
Na sima mawa tro
Mwana kutu ebimaki
Carte sur table
Tonégocier
Showbiz simba monde
Vivra verra
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya
Po na lokotro
Tolobaki moto ayeba te
Awele mpifu
Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
Mere frenchen
Na ndenge na yango
Wolo ebonga na kingo
Mere abonga na pere
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Kinshasa bashege baRomain
Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Shege, chance eloko pamba
Kao koko korobo
Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba
Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Match eza te
Y a pas match
Muzingi mbila
Za za za ee
Tula mwisi
The lyrics to Papa Wemba's song Kaokokokorobo depict the hustle and bustle of city life in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first verse talks about how people are so eager to make money that they forget about their spirituality and become cold-hearted ("tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit"). The chorus repeats the phrase "Je suis mandinken" (I am Mandinken) several times, which refers to the Mandinka people of West Africa and could be interpreted as a way of asserting one's identity and heritage in the face of urbanization and globalization.
The second verse mentions several neighborhoods and landmarks in Kinshasa, including Kaludji, Yacom, and Furume. It also includes several Lingala phrases that are difficult to translate, such as "Influence ya coup d'œil" (the influence of the way one looks) and "Na sima mawa tro" (with a little bit of luck). The rest of the lyrics touch on themes such as the music industry, materialism, and the complexities of human relationships. Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of life in Kinshasa and the many challenges that its residents face.
Line by Line Meaning
Pesa biso nguya, tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit
Give us strength, so that we do not lose hope and our spirit
Torenye lokola yo na likolo
Believe me like your heart
biso bayanke na se
We bet on it
Amen
Amen
Je suis madinken
I am a Madinken
Tu es mandiken
You are a Mandiken
Elle est mandiken
She is a Mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
We are Mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
You are Mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
They are Mandiken
Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
They picked up the Kaludji and Yacom guitar riffs
Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
They planned and performed it in that same style
Mbila amira pale
The guitar strings sound beautiful
Masta batindika ye
The master played it
Petite abendana
The small female vocalist sang
uta azwa lupemba
azwa kiboba
You dance Lupemba, you dance Kiboba
Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Bashatshe, Miyake, Yamaoto
Influence ya coup d'œil
The influence of the gaze
Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
I am moving forward with my plan, my Furume
moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa
na ndenge ya kolo dais
Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman
People come and go, you are left alone, you die in the process. While talking about the dais, Ngonda, dapasco Ndenga, the gentleman Mbololo
Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
The small one told me that I don't know how to move
Ngai naleli
Eldo tchedido
I am crying
Eldo tchedido
Errare humanum est
To err is human
Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
The matter is delicate in continuing
Na sima mawa tro
I am really sad
Mwana kutu ebimaki
The little child is wearing shorts
Carte sur table
Cards on the table
Tonégocier
Negotiate
Showbiz simba monde
Showbiz is a lion's world
Vivra verra
He who lives shall see
Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya
Po na lokotro
Watch out for Lubwaku, he's coming
to take everything
Tolobaki moto ayeba te
They didn't expect the guy to come back
Awele mpifu
A liar and a cheat
Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
If only I had a Ferrari and caviar
Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
I didn't sign up for this contract
Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
They're hunting me down like the Firenze gang
Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Always be on top of things
Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
The matter is in the eyes of Peguy, the child from Comores
Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
The matter is in the hands of Ma Roza
Mere frenchen
Na ndenge na yango
Wolo ebonga na kingo
Mere abonga na pere
French mother
doing her business with it
at the station with a saleswoman
Mother agrees with father
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Let's settle in Japan, live luxurious lives
Let's settle in Nazi's place, drive Porshe's and Benzes
Kinshasa bashege baRomain
Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kinshasa, the Romains came
Mikili up high, the new jacks
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
What they said doubles the mabe
Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Kamuzunda gave her bottom
Shege, chance eloko pamba
Kao koko korobo
Shege, it's a big opportunity
Kao koko korobo
Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Ligorodo, even though it's big, it doesn't come from someone in the neighborhood
Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba
They keep searching and searching, but they never find
Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Today, today is peace
Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Peace comes from peace
Match eza te
There's no match
Y a pas match
There's no match
Muzingi mbila
Za za za ee
Tula mwisi
The maestro of guitars
Za za za ee
Play the music
Contributed by Victoria J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@isurgirl_aaliyah9524
Pesa biso nguya, tobare bazembezembe ná bantusa esprit
Torenye lokola yo na likolo
Biso bayanke na se
Amen
Amen
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Babukaki ligal ya Kaludji na Yacom
Baplan ilfale natelema na yango na ndule wana
Mbila amira pale
Masta batindika ye
Petite abendana
Uta azwa lupemba
Azwa kiboba
Bashatshe, baMiyake, baYamaoto
Influence ya coup d'œil
Mbele nakoma na plan tro ngai Furume
Moto bamwela, kabama mbila mbila, wakafwa
Na ndenge ya kolo dais
Mbololo Ngonda, dapasco ndenga, le gentleman
Petite alobi na ngai nayebi movema te
Ngai naleli
Eldo tchedido
Errare humanum est
Likambo bakotisaki po alandela
Na sima mawa tro
Mwana kutu ebimaki
Carte sur table
Tonégocier
Showbiz simba monde
Vivra verra
Je suis madinken
Tu es mandiken
Elle est mandiken
Nous sommes mandiken
Vous êtes mandiken
Ils sont mandiken
Yeba Lubwaku ebebisaka moto yaya
Po na lokotro
Tolobaki moto ayeba te
Awele mpifu
Se po na Ferrari na Caviar
Contrat osinyaki po na liwa
Mbula kama po bandima ngai na bana ya Firenze
Kozala toujours na top po na nkoma
Likambo ezalaki po na miso ya Peguy, mwana ya Comores
Likambo ezalaki po na tayi ya Ma Roza
Mere frenchen
Na ndenge na yango
Wolo ebonga na kingo
Mere abonga na pere
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nipone, Rontao pamba pamba
Ekomaki biso na mboka Nazi, Porshe, Benzula mbula
Kinshasa bashege baRomain
Mikili bazulu ba new jack
Kaoko ko ko korobo
Les ont dit font doubler le mabe
Kamuzunda kingo ebende
Shege, chance eloko pamba
Kao koko korobo
Ligorodo ata aza kovimba akokoka na monene ya nzoko te
Bakanga kanga bacracas balemba
Lelo lelo ekomi lobi
Lobi lobi ekomi lobi kuna
Match eza te
Y a pas match
Muzingi mbila
Za za za ee
Tula mwisi
(End)
@Alexondiasodounga
Que toutes les personnes qui liront ce commentaire soient bénis ❤ merci beaucoup papa Wemba depuis libreville au Gabon 🇬🇦👍
@calicase6431
Très belle musique . Les congolais sont les meilleurs chanteurs d'Afrique de tous les temps, il faut le reconnaître 👌👌👌
Une camerounaise depuis la France 🇫🇷
@sahanounderra9556
Ce son me rappelle mon enfance joyeuse dans les années 1995. Que de beaux souvenirs
@usmancissokho8524
Je suis mandinka du Sénégal mais j'affirme que la langue dans laquelle il chante est très douce. Moi je ne comprends pas cette belle langue du kongo. Unissons nous, nous avons beaucoup a gagné ensemble ! Mais surtout Unissons nous dans nos cultures africaine sans melange.
@sylvestreatiwiya7847
"Carte sur table, o négocier... showbiz esimba monde Qui vivra verra" visionneur fut Wemba c'est ce que nous vivons aujourd'hui.
@eliebolemba6738
Vraiment tu as relevé quelque chose que je ne savais pas 😢. Merci pour ça
@user-cv4tj8on4m
Vraiment
@ImmaculeImmaka
Ça dit beaucoup sur le showbizz...
@fabricekond5693
Je suis burkinabé et la music Congolese est magic car ce sont Les premier habitants de la terre ..ILs ont le secret ....vive la culture africaine et oui pour la liberté sans condition DU peuple congolais..
@theben10futureyamin70
Waouh frère. C'est profond ce que tu as dit là. Merci beaucoup. On est ensemble 🙏