Yoka Lokole
Encyclopedia
Yoka Lokole was a soukous
band from Zaire
(now Democratic Republic of the Congo
) founded by Papa Wemba
and others in 1975 and disbanded in 1978. Despite its short life, Yoka Lokole was a prominent band in Zaire in the mid-1970s
, as its lineup comprised several of the most influential soukous musicians of the times, including Papa Wemba, Bozi Boziana
, and Mavuela Somo. Yoka Lokole's most important members were singers; the vocal ensemble of the group was collectively known as the Fania All-Stars of Zaire. Since most of the soukous "stars" in Yoka Lokole were former members of Zaiko Langa Langa
, Yoka Lokole belongs to the so-called "Clan Langa Langa", i.e., the large family of Zaiko Langa Langa spin-off bands.
The name "Yoka Lokole", in lingala, means "listen to the lokole", where the lokole
is a traditional log drum
in the area of the Congo River
.
's Isifi Lokole
. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana left Isifi after a quarrel with Jocker. Two other Isifi members, Shora Mukoko and Otis Koyongonda, followed Wemba, Somo, and Boziana in the new ensemble.
In its early days, Yoka Lokole was overshadowed by two other greatly popular soukous bands, Zaiko Langa Langa
and Isifi Melodia (the new name of Isifi Lokole after Papa Wemba's departure). This changed in 1976 when another singer, Mashakado Mbuta, joined the band. The first hit single released by Yoka Lokole was Matembelé Bangiì (June 1976) by Papa Wemba. Several other major hits followed, including Maloba Bakoko (by Somo), Mabita (Mashakado), and Lisuma Ya Zazu and Mama Walli (Papa Wemba). The band also created its own dance style, Mashakado-Au-Pas, that became a major craze in Kinshasa
's dance club, together with Zaiko Langa Langa's Choquez and Isifi Melodia's Lofimbo. While Yoka Lokole was at its peak in popularity, yet another singer joined the impressive vocal lineup of the band, namely Djo Issa from Lita Bembo's Stukas.
In December 1976, the band was shaken by Papa Wemba's arrest
for an alleged sentimental relation with the daughter of general Mobutu Sese Seko
. While Wemba was in jail, the band kept touring in the Bas-Congo
, something that Wemba complained about publicly. In the controversy that followed, which caused a considerable stir in Zaire's media, Mavuela and Mashakado flaunted their kinois (i.e., "of Kinshasa") heritage, implying that Papa Wemba (who was born in Kasai-Oriental
) was "out of place" in Yoka Lokole. The lyrics of the song Bana Kin by Mavuela, released in late December 1976, are clearly related to this quarrel.
As a consequence of this situation, when Papa Wemba was released, he could not welcome in Yoka Lokole anymore. A legal dispute between Wemba and Mavuela over the use of name "Yoka Lokole" was cut by Wemba in February 1977, as he decided to call his own group Viva La Musica
, a battle cry he used in Yoka Lokole's shows.
In the early months of 1977, some prominent members of Yoka Lokole, namely guitarist Syriana
and drummer Otis Koyongonda, left to join Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica. New musicians were hired, namely singer Kanza (former Kiam
member), guitarist Sec Bidens and Gabon
ese drummer Baroza nicknamed "La Gabonnia". With this new lineup Yoka Lokole had a few more hits, and popularized a new dance style, Mékroumé.
In the long run, Viva La Musica proved much more successful than Yoka Lokole; it actually became one of the most successful soukous bands ever. The "kinois" quarrel returned to the spotlights as the media criticized Somo and Mbuta for their contempt for the mowuta (i.e., the "non-kinois"). Yoka Lokole had one last success with Mandolina, but the departure of Bozi Boziana and Mbuta (who rejoined their former band Zaiko Langa Langa in August 1977) confirmed the band's decline.
In late 1977, Somo was the last "star" in Yoka Lokole's lineup. He tried to renew the band hiring new musicians, such as Packi Lutula from Tabu National, Fabrice Fanfan, Shimita Lukombo El Diego, Lifelo Moto Moto, and the Fataki borthers, and eventually released a few more singles that had some success, such as Testament (December 1977) and Tubela (July 1978). Nevertheless, in December 1978 Somo decided to leave Yoka Lokole. Guitarist Sec Bidens became the leader of the band, which quickly disappeared from the scenes.
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
band from Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
(now Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
) founded by Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
and others in 1975 and disbanded in 1978. Despite its short life, Yoka Lokole was a prominent band in Zaire in the mid-1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, as its lineup comprised several of the most influential soukous musicians of the times, including Papa Wemba, Bozi Boziana
Bozi Boziana
Mbenzu Ngamboni Boskill, better known as Bozi Boziana, is congolese guitarist and singer. He has been in several major soukous bands, including Bamboula de Papa Noel, Minzoto Sangela, Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi Lokole, Yoka Lokole, Langa Langa Stars and Choc Stars, and founded his own band, Orchestre...
, and Mavuela Somo. Yoka Lokole's most important members were singers; the vocal ensemble of the group was collectively known as the Fania All-Stars of Zaire. Since most of the soukous "stars" in Yoka Lokole were former members of Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
, Yoka Lokole belongs to the so-called "Clan Langa Langa", i.e., the large family of Zaiko Langa Langa spin-off bands.
The name "Yoka Lokole", in lingala, means "listen to the lokole", where the lokole
Lokole
The lokole is a traditional slit drum played by the Mongo people in different areas of the Congo region, e.g., in the Kasai area. It is used both as a musical instrument and as a log drum to send messages in the bush; for example, it is known to be played to announce someone's death to the...
is a traditional log drum
Drum (communication)
Developed from hollow tree trunks, and used by cultures living in deforested areas, drums served as an early form of long distance communication, and were used during ceremonial and religious functions.-Pressure drum:...
in the area of the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
.
History
Yoka Lokole was founded as a consequence of a split of another prominent soukous band, Evoloko JockerEvoloko Jocker
Evoloko Atshuamo, best known as Evoloko Jocker or Lay Lay, is a popular congolese soukous singer. Since the late 1960s, he has been in several major soukous bands, such as Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi Lokole, and Langa Langa Stars.-Biography:Evoloko was born in Belgian Congo...
's Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole
Isifi Lokole were a soukous band from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were founded in 1974. The word "Isifi" is an acronym for "Institut du Savoir Ideologique pour la Formation des Idoles", while the lokole is a traditional Congolese drum...
. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana left Isifi after a quarrel with Jocker. Two other Isifi members, Shora Mukoko and Otis Koyongonda, followed Wemba, Somo, and Boziana in the new ensemble.
In its early days, Yoka Lokole was overshadowed by two other greatly popular soukous bands, Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
and Isifi Melodia (the new name of Isifi Lokole after Papa Wemba's departure). This changed in 1976 when another singer, Mashakado Mbuta, joined the band. The first hit single released by Yoka Lokole was Matembelé Bangiì (June 1976) by Papa Wemba. Several other major hits followed, including Maloba Bakoko (by Somo), Mabita (Mashakado), and Lisuma Ya Zazu and Mama Walli (Papa Wemba). The band also created its own dance style, Mashakado-Au-Pas, that became a major craze in Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
's dance club, together with Zaiko Langa Langa's Choquez and Isifi Melodia's Lofimbo. While Yoka Lokole was at its peak in popularity, yet another singer joined the impressive vocal lineup of the band, namely Djo Issa from Lita Bembo's Stukas.
In December 1976, the band was shaken by Papa Wemba's arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
for an alleged sentimental relation with the daughter of general Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
. While Wemba was in jail, the band kept touring in the Bas-Congo
Bas-Congo
Bas-Congo is one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the only province with a coastline and it borders Bandundu province to the east and Kinshasa to the northeast...
, something that Wemba complained about publicly. In the controversy that followed, which caused a considerable stir in Zaire's media, Mavuela and Mashakado flaunted their kinois (i.e., "of Kinshasa") heritage, implying that Papa Wemba (who was born in Kasai-Oriental
Kasai-Oriental
Kasai-Oriental is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders the provinces of Kasai-Occidental to the west, Équateur to the northwest, Orientale to the northeast, Maniema to the east, and Katanga to the south. Kasai-Oriental is one of the richest diamond producing...
) was "out of place" in Yoka Lokole. The lyrics of the song Bana Kin by Mavuela, released in late December 1976, are clearly related to this quarrel.
As a consequence of this situation, when Papa Wemba was released, he could not welcome in Yoka Lokole anymore. A legal dispute between Wemba and Mavuela over the use of name "Yoka Lokole" was cut by Wemba in February 1977, as he decided to call his own group Viva La Musica
Viva La Musica
Viva La Musica is a popular band from Zaire founded by singer Papa Wemba in 1977. While Viva La Musica started out as a soukous band , it eventually grew into a world music act, reaching some popularity and success in the European, American, and even Asian markets, as well as in most of Africa...
, a battle cry he used in Yoka Lokole's shows.
In the early months of 1977, some prominent members of Yoka Lokole, namely guitarist Syriana
Syriana
Syriana is a 2005 geopolitical thriller film written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, and executive produced by George Clooney, who also stars in the film with an ensemble cast. Gaghan's screenplay is loosely adapted from Robert Baer's memoir See No Evil...
and drummer Otis Koyongonda, left to join Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica. New musicians were hired, namely singer Kanza (former Kiam
KIAM
Kiam or KIAM may refer to:* 11011 KIAM, asteroid* KIAM , a radio station licensed to Nenana, Alaska, United States* KIAM-FM, a radio station licensed to North Nenana, Alaska, United States...
member), guitarist Sec Bidens and Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
ese drummer Baroza nicknamed "La Gabonnia". With this new lineup Yoka Lokole had a few more hits, and popularized a new dance style, Mékroumé.
In the long run, Viva La Musica proved much more successful than Yoka Lokole; it actually became one of the most successful soukous bands ever. The "kinois" quarrel returned to the spotlights as the media criticized Somo and Mbuta for their contempt for the mowuta (i.e., the "non-kinois"). Yoka Lokole had one last success with Mandolina, but the departure of Bozi Boziana and Mbuta (who rejoined their former band Zaiko Langa Langa in August 1977) confirmed the band's decline.
In late 1977, Somo was the last "star" in Yoka Lokole's lineup. He tried to renew the band hiring new musicians, such as Packi Lutula from Tabu National, Fabrice Fanfan, Shimita Lukombo El Diego, Lifelo Moto Moto, and the Fataki borthers, and eventually released a few more singles that had some success, such as Testament (December 1977) and Tubela (July 1978). Nevertheless, in December 1978 Somo decided to leave Yoka Lokole. Guitarist Sec Bidens became the leader of the band, which quickly disappeared from the scenes.