Man I could not see this coming even with a old artist like this man. This man has had problems in the past and he had great troubles prior to his unfortunate death.
Well I am speaking about the death and unpextated one from Likinga Redo. He was 59 years old when he died. He died on August 8, 2013. This death stunned and I just could not believe it. I found this out from former Zaiko Langa Langa singer Adamo Ekula.
Well let me speak on this great Artist Mr. Likinga Redo. I know that this man began his music career with Empire Bakuba led by Pepe Kalle (who is no longer here). Likinga would appear in songs like Calvaire, and Montesse. Then in 1976, he officially became a memeber of Zaiko Langa Langa. This time he sang with Nyoka Longo, Lenga Lenga (Ya Lengos), and Bimi Ombale. They made some great songs and being able to produce some dynamic dances. Likinga Redo produced one song that was popular for him. That song is Viya. This song got Likinga Redo in a unique place. He was beginning to develop his own identity. Zaiko was starting to become a important band alongside Empire Bakuba de Pepe Kalle.
Likinga Redo was said to a drug habit and clearly some one was not happy about it. After he releasd his other song Antalia, he got caught with drugs in Portugal in 1983. This led to his arrest and as result he was in jail for five years.
Likinga Redo got a tribute song while he was in jail. That was his old friend Pepe Kalle. He made the tribute Souci ya Likinga. This song became pretty popular around the Kinshasa scene in 1986.
Redo got out of jail in 1988 to join Zaiko Familia Dei de Pablo. But he did last there long. Then Likinga Redo had really became a session singer releasing a few albums. But Likinga Redo was not the same and despite making great music, people seemed to have enough of Likinga and he had became a shadow of himself.
Then in 2002, he worked with former Empire Bakuba mate Papy Tex on their work together called Mon Bebe. This would be Likinga's last music before he went fully into Christian music. That could be seen with Soeur Lumumba around the 2006 period. After that, Redo had privately lived his life.
It was said that Likinga Redo had suffered dementia-disease for five months before his unfortunate death. Strange for me, because Likinga had indicated some time ago, he was ready to get his life back on his own Facebook. Of course, Likinga died on August 8, 2013.
It is ashame that he is gone and I will forever miss him. His music will live on.
Rest in peace Vieux Likinga Redo
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.
