Jules Shungu Wembiado Pene Kikumba—aka Papa Wemba—was scheduled for his first tour in four years. During that time, he had released three new albums and one excellent compilation from the first 20 years of his career, and he hd endured a lengthy legal battle with the French judicial system. On November 16, 2004, he was sentenced in Bobigny, to 30 months—26 suspended—and a 10,000 Euro fine. The 55-year-old singer was convicted of bringing undocumented immigrants to disguised as musicians. Visitors to this site know well that Wemba’s fans never lost faith. See our feature called “
Wemba: Well, I don’t actually know. We don’t yet have our visas. We are waiting. BE: Well, we’ll assume that you are coming, and go from there. You are known for perfecting the art of having two groups, one for the Congolese public, and one for the international crowd. Are you still doing that? And which group will you be bringing here? Wemba: I think I will bring the Congolese group. Yes, yes, in order to defend the repertoire of Congolese music, not only the repertoire of Papa Wemba, the repertoire of Congolese music. BE: You will play your own songs, though, won’t you?
Wemba: Ah, yes. I will give you many more of my own songs, but there will also be some songs by some of the other founders, Tabu Ley, Franco—like that. BE: So do you still have a second group, or is it just the one, Congolese group now? Wemba: I have a group here in BE: Tendencies. What does that mean? Wemba: Well… It’s the tendencies… Well, there are always tendencies, aren’t there? [LAUGHS]. BE: I suppose so. So that group is freer to experiment with international styles?
Wemba: Yes. BE: Is your Congolese group still called Viva la Musica? Wemba: But of course. We are still Viva la Musica. Iko (the percussionist) is there. Djanana (vocalist) will be there. BE: I still remember your first visit to the , with
Wemba: That’s right. 17 years. BE: It’s incredible. Back at that time there wasn’t much of an audience for Congolese music here. Do you find it different now? Have things changed here for you?
Wemba: Well, I can’t talk about right now because it’s been three or four years since I was in the . So I don’t know if the public has remained loyal to Congolese music. Back in those days, there were a lot of groups coming over. Now there are not so many, but I love playing there. I don’t know if audiences there are still receptive to Congolese music, but I think so. I think we will find our audience there again. BE: I think so. In the past, though, the idea of having two groups was that you wanted to give Americans something that they could understand more easily. Now it seems like you are more interested in giving Americans the real Congolese sound. Is that right? Wemba: I think it’s important to give people much more of Congolese music. What they must understand very, very well is Congolese rumba. You know. You have been there. You have done your research. You can teach Americans what it’s all about. BE: I’ve been listening to the album “Somo Trop/Trop Somo.” Is that your latest? Wemba: No, there is a new one that just came out. Watch out! BE: I will do that. But meanwhile, let me ask you about this record. It seems to me like it’s done very much in the current Congolese style. There are two CDs. The songs are long. There are lots of rhythm changes in the arrangements. Tell they about the current style of Congolese music.
Wemba: It hasn’t changed that much, has it? It’s our same style of music. Music evolves, like everywhere, but it’s the same. BE: So, for you, what has stayed the same is more important than what is changed, right? Wemba: Yes. BE: Still, I do hear changes in the sound, more shifts in the rhythm, a bit of a different production style. But I would say that the past is always contained two in the new. With the Congolese music, even if things change, the past has never completely thrown away. That’s true, eh? Wemba: I think that’s it. In the end, it’s still the same music. BE: As you know, among the fanatics of this music, there are some who don’t like the way the music has changed. They think the melody has been lost, more animation, more rhythm, more production, but less melody. What do you say to them?
Wemba: Yesterday is not today. Yesterday was yesterday. Today is today. We must progress. We can’t just live in the past. We can’t work the way we did 10, 20 years ago. The technique has evolved, the music has evolved. There are young producers who have created beautiful studios. All of that changes the art. BE: Do you get back to Wemba: In February. BE: You performed there with the group? Wemba: Yes, yes. BE: And the old
Wemba: Always hot. Always, always hot! BE: Since you made this record, you went through this legal problem in . The trial was at last resolved last November. What lesson did you take from this whole experience? Wemba: No, no. It’s over. I don’t want to talk anymore about that. I’ve talked about that too much. It gives me a headache. I have nothing more to say. BE: Okay. Does that cover singing too? Have you ever song a song about that? Wemba: No, no. BE: I was very impressed by the loyalty of your audience. Clearly they love you and supported you through it all.
Wemba: Yes, that’s true. All that is thanks to God. BE: Well, you know what they say: “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” Wemba: [LAUGHS] Yes, that’s true. BE: Coming back to the tour, how many musicians, singers, dancers will you be bringing? Wemba: We will be 12. BE: Tell me something about the new record, the new songs. Are you singing about any new themes we should hear about?
Wemba: It is what I have always done, what you’re used to. There’s no big change. It’s music of love, a music to dance to, as ever. BE: You will be playing in Wemba: Yes, yes, I know Femi. BE: It is interesting to me how different his Afrobeat music is from Congolese music? It’s much more political. He’s always talking about corruption, problems in the government, and so on. It is quite a different feeling, don’t you think? Wemba: But it’s still African music, isn’t it? Fela, of course, listened to a lot of outside music. In Congolese music, we rarely take on those kinds of things. It’s a much more about love. We don’t sing very many songs of a political character. BE: Thanks, Papa. We look forward to seeing you. Good luck with those visas!! Interview by Banning Eyre Paris,2005 Wemba: Thanks. Bye-bye! |
