A Underated Clan Langa Langa band?

Clan Langa Langa is one of the best clans that has even came to the Zaire music scene. It has produced some great bands. They include Choc Stars, Anti-Choc, Viva La Musica, Isifi Lokele, Yoka Lokele, and others.

But there is one band that was so talented but so underated and yet had high popularity. This band that I am speaking about is Zaiko Langa Langa band. I am not saying the Nkolo Mboka band led by Nyoka Longo. I am speaking of the band Zaiko Familia Dei led by Ilo Pablo. This was another Clan Langa Langa band. But this band did come from Zaiko Langa Langa Nkolo Mboka.

This band was founded by Zaiko Langa Langa drummer Ilo Pablo. He was joined with former Zaiko Langa Langa singers late Bimi Ombale, late Lengi Lenga, and JP Buse with former Choc Stars, Langa Langa Star, and Viva La Musica bassist Djo Mali, former Zaiko Langa Langa, Viva La Musica, and Langa Langa Stars guitarist Beniko Popilipo, Jimmy Yaba, Bebe Atalaku, and etc. This band was formed in 1988 after Zaiko's tour ended. The reason this band was formed because their fight with Zaiko Nkolo Mboka leader Nyoka Longo. As result, we had the birth of Zaiko Familia Dei.

Now you will be surprised with what I am going to about to say. Actually this band seemed more popular in Zaire than Zaiko Nkolo Mboka was. Yes, this band got more attention than Zaiko Langa Langa itself. It was hard to believe but there is some truth to this. With Zaiko LL Nkolo Mboka from 1988 to 1993, you only had three works while with Zaiko LL Familia Dei, you had six works. Zaiko Langa Langa Nkolo Mboka, you had Jetez l'Eponge, Ici ca va "Fungola Motema", and Jamais sans nous. Zaiko Langa Langa Familia Dei, you had Oiseau rare, Muana Kayumba, Mave, Martin Ahanga, Fafa, and Les Riches et Les Pauvres. You see that clearly Zaiko LL Familia Dei was making more music than Nkolo Mboka. So you would think this would mean no issues, right? NOPE.

Zaiko Familia Dei faced several problems. Despite the success of this band and good musicians, they could not do much to solve the conflicts. Also unlike Zaiko LL Nkolo Mboka, there was no leader. Yep, no leader. There were so many problems. As result of no leader, Bimi Ombale, JP Buse, and Djo Mali were one of the few musicians who left the band in 1990-91 period. JP Buse stayed in Canada and is now primarily a religious singer. Bimi Ombale formed his own band Basilique Loningisa which included Desouza Santu who later on become a major force in Empire Bakuba. Bimi became a religious singer after late 1990s. Bimi sadly passed away on May 2011. Djo Mali went to become a session musician and now plays for Odemba All-Stars led by former OK Jazz, Afrisa, and Le Grand Maquisards guitarist Dizzy Mandjeku. More musicians would soon leave the band. But Zaiko Familia Dei did still made works like Ebale Mondaile and Elo Medely. But the success was not enough to stop the eventual end of this great band. By 1997, the band was pretty much more existent. Most of the Familia Dei musicians joined or returned Zaiko Nkolo Mboka du Nyoka Longo.

Zaiko Familia Dei did produce some notable members too. Some include Zaikas Nkolo Mboka guitarist Petit Position and Bana OK singer Endho. This band was underated and they never got a chance to show their full potential. People did not seem to like this band though they made more music in the early and mid 1990s than Zaiko Nkolo Mboka. But their music will soon be very apperciated.