‘Libanga’ system: DRC’s phenomenon of commercialised praise-singing

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Post Lifestyle, Sunday May 8, 2011

‘Libanga’ system: DRC’s phenomenon of commercialised praise-singing

money-oriented praise-singing popularly known as 'Libanga' that is at the very core of Rhumba music. "The Libanga system is one of the most important ways of making money. 'Libanga' means a small stone in Lingala and 'Kobwaka Libanga' means to throw a stone," explains Mudekereza who was recently invited as an advisor for the World Event Young Artists, part of the Cultural Olympiad in the UK. He was ironically denied a visa despite it being a publicly funded event. "Traditionally, 'Kobwaka Libanga' is an expression that can be used to describe a small child who throws a stone to get a parent or an older person's attention." According to Mudekereza, in the musical context, the term 'Libanga' is however most frequently used to explain what musicians or singers do in a recorded song or live performance when they mention or sing the names of sponsors or wealthy businessmen, most preferably at the beginning of the performance. Individual names can be sang or shouted in between verses and choruses. "I can say everyone is involved except for artistes like Lokua Kanza who are not really in the Congolese music system. Fali Ipupa, JB Mpiana, Werrason, Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide are all into this system", he reveals. "For instance, you can hear a name like Didi Kinuani; and most of the time it is followed by an adjective such as 'Didi Kinuani, vous etes le sauveur du monde' which means Didi Kinuani you are the saviour of the world' because he gives money to everyone. Or 'Adam Bombole les Congolais Abramovich qui n'a pas été affectée par la crise économique'… meaning Adam Bombole the Congolese Abramovich who was not affected by the economic crisis." The two he mentions here are Congolese men of stature: Didi Kinuani is a renowned diamond dealer who sponsors many bands, and Adam Bombole, a close Koffi Olomide’s dancing entourage during a well attended live performance The majority of Zambia's carefree Rhumba fans do not know that there is much more to associate of strongman Jean-Pierre in Lusaka last year - Pictures by Thomas Nsama their favourite music than the writhing of waists during trouser-tearing dance antics Bemba, a politician of considerable wealth. Both have appeared on several which is yet to be released features JK, MC Wabwino, night club chain owner, Kayembe Kaloji. these big people are told to say you have sung about them, they songs by the biggest names in Rhumba, Bombole even had an Kayombo, Leo, Raydo and Ty2. "We know in DRC that some big artistes can mention the will look for you and pay you." he explains. Libanga can be traced back to the golden age of Mobutu's entire JB Mpiana song commissioned for his wife Janet Surely these artistes are not yet known to be MMD names of up to 10 powerful people in a single song and earn up to It can be traced back to the golden age Libanga is nothing new. Zaire, where the late leader's son Kongolo a military Bombole, the song whose title the author cannot remember, party praise-singers, so presumably it will be US$10,000 per name mentioned. You can imagine how much of Mobutu's Zaire, where the late leader's son Kongolo an officer officer who went by the nickname Saddam Hussein was was a worldwide hit. done for commercial benefit, to put food on money that is," adds Mudekereza "It's a business. How do you in the Special Presidential Division who went by the nickname the most sang name of the 1980s Also mentioned in the songs is Congolese Chez Ntemba the table, as it were! Particularly so for think those musicians get all the money to buy expensive clothes Saddam Hussein was the most sang name of the 1980s. It is said and cars. I don't think that those who did not mention artistes such as Ty2 who is known to be struggling to get a foot hold on the Zambian music scene since his any Congolese musihis name in songs and at conreturn from the UK a couple of years ago. Before he cian is making certs would face stumbling left for the British isles, he enjoyed his provermoney from album blocks in their careers, or bial 'fifteen minutes of fame' as reigning sales." even suffer more sinister 'King of Zam Ragga' (a Zambian derivaHe says not even fates. tive of Jamaican dance hall reggae) Rhumba giant Papa Nevertheless, as a form of with his one hit effort 'Smile'. But Wemba, who is still commercialised praise upon return, he ceased to be a living a lavish life in singing, 'Libanga' does not go crowd-puller owing to the saturaDRC with a string of uncontested. Bana Ba Congo tion of the genre by the likes of houses and expena network of young DRC Petersen, Dandy Krazy and othsive cars, is able to nationals in the Diaspora ers, and crowds are what pays earn as little as intends to organise a form of the rent. In this light, Ty2's US$100 dollars boycott against popular 'Libanga' must have come in through CD copy artistes that have been benevery handy. sales. Mudekereza fiting from 'Libanga'. Nevertheless, without links this sales But sincerely, what moral digressing too much from the predicament to the right do Bana Ba Congo have moral of the story, next time MP3 digital music to deny a musician to earn a you take to the dance floor at file-sharing era we living? Besides, on the dance the sound of your favourite are living in. So the floor, who has the time to likes of Papa Wemba care if the song they are danc- Rhumba track, as the song plays listen out for "Didi are making earnings ing to is a beer commercial or Kinuani the saviour of the from live shows, prowas dedicated to a Congolese world", "Adam Bombole,the motional concerts for tycoon's wife. Congolese Abramovich" or beer and sometimes by government sponsorship but most of all After all, closer to home haven't people been dancing to the soKongolo Mobutu 'Libanga'. called 'JK featuring R-Kelly' song 'Hands Across The World', which if truth be told is an Airtel advertisement. aka Saddam But it should be noted that although 'Libanga' is a form of social Like Mdekereza alludes, in this part of the world, artistes strugHussein. recognition for whoever's name is chanted in a song, it also works gle to earn as little as US$100 from album sales and rampant file for the artiste who by 'throwing the 'Libanga' even without being sharing. So it can be welcomed when we see, as in previous elecpaid, can appear to be closer to a certain class of people. tions years here in Zambia, our local artistes benefiting from a "Sometimes as an artiste, someone may just want to show off to form of 'Libanga'. According to reliable sources, this year his friends that he has sung about big names like Bombole and Zambian Republican President Rupiah Banda's campaign CD Kinuani so they will think he has money. But sometimes when Closer to home haven’t people been dancing to the so-called “JK featuring R-Kelly” song

By Andrew Mulenga

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offi Olomide, JB Mpiana, Werrason and more recently Fali Ipupa are household names of Congolese artistes that always manage to draw huge crowds whenever they visit Zambia for live performances. But what the majority of Zambia's carefree Congolese music (Rhumba) fans do not know, is that while they attempt to outclass the so-called dancing queens, and sing along with the artistes they have paid so handsomely to watch, there is much more to Rhumba than the writhing of waists during trouser-tearing dance antics. In a recent interview, Lubumbashi-based Congolese author and cultural operator Patrick Mudekereza explains the phenomenon of

Popular DRC artiste Koffi Olomide is one of the many artistes known for earning an income through Libanga

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The Libanga system is one of the most important ways of making money. 'Libanga' means a small stone in Lingala and 'Kobwaka Libanga' means to throw a stone...

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'Hands Across The World', which if truth be told is an Airtel advertisement

Mudekereza - some big artistes can mention the names of up to 10 powerful people in a single song and earn up to US$10,000 per name mentioned

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By Abigail Chaponda CONDEMNED serial killer Gilbert Benson Chilala says Zambians should forgive him for all the wrongs he has done. In an excusive interview during the week, Chilala 52, says he has changed and regrets everything he did. Chilala, who claims to have killed over 200 people, says that he wants to tell his story so that he can be forgiven by all Zambians for all the killings he did. “I am a changed person and all I want is for Zambians to forgive me for whatever I did. I am a now a Christian and I preach to people so that they can change their ways and turn to God, I believe that once I tell my story, many people’s lives will be changed,” he says. “I regret everything that I ever did. I don’t even want to think about what I did because it brings sad memories, but I am sorry, please forgive me.” Chilala says he is the third in the family of five and was born from a Zambian mother and a Ndebele father who are both alive. He says that he did not go far in his education but managed to marry a beautiful Zambian lady with whom he had three children. “My wife has never visited me in prison but my children come and I am really proud to be their father. I know it is not easy to have a father who was once a serial killer, my children are brave and I am proud of them,” he says. “I feel bad that there is no communication between my wife and I. She was a very good woman and she didn’t know that I used to kill people. I don’t blame her for leaving me, she deserves better, but I am asking her to forgive me.” Chilala says it is not easy to ask for forgiveness from Zambians and does not expect them to forgive him but he says he has changed and his heart will be at peace after he is forgiven. “My life was very complicated and if I had the power to change things, I would have changed everything a long time ago. I used a very powerful black magic to kill people and sometimes I used to disappear. I used to travel from Lusaka to Ndola in 10 minutes using very powerful charms,” he claims. “One of the most prominent couple that I killed is Mr. and Mrs. Kombe. [late National Assembly deputy speaker Leonard Kombe and wife Elizabeth were grisly murdered at their Lusaka east home] “I went to their farm to ask for piece work and I worked very hard. After working hard, I killed Mrs. Kombe using an axe and followed her husband and axed him too.” He says he killed them for business pur-

Post Lifestyle, Sunday January 31, 2010

poses. “Even when I killed, I was not given any money, a lot of people having successful businesses in Zambia use black magic. I have killed about 210 people and I really regret, forgive me, I didn’t know what I was doing,” he says. Chilala claims that he turned himself to the police in 1997 and that for two years, the police tortured him in Chamba Valley everyday and they even broke his knees. “For two years, I was beaten by the police even after I confessed to them that I was the serial killer and gave them the names of the people I had killed. They still tortured me, any way I don’t blame them because my case was too much,” he says He says that God has really been faithful and kind in his life because after the court sentenced him to death, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment because of good behaviour. Chilala brutally murdered a 28-year-old farmer and his pregnant wife in a lonely farming area in Westwood, Lusaka West. The couple, Alfred Shabwalala and wife were hacked to death with a pick which was found beside their decomposed bodies. The bodies were discovered outside their home both covered with dry grass, in an act which matched previous killings committed by Chilala. Chilala was supposed to have given a list of names of people he killed but could not do so because of prison restrictions.