Curtains fall on Congolese singer

Dodo will be remembered for his hit song, "Nalingi Yo Linga Ngai". PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • Dodo Munoko, who has been living in the United States, will be remembered by many lovers of Congolese music for being a singer with the legendary Tabu Ley’s Afrisa International Band.
  • His death is also a blow to the members of Afrisa International, who were preparing to travel back home in DRC next month for a performance tour.

As Kenyans mourn the deaths of two Benga music icons, Joseph Kamaru and Jerry Jalamo, the season of sad news in the entertainment scene continues with the passing on of a top Congolese singer, who shone in the 1980s with one of Kinshasa’s leading bands.

Dodo Munoko, who has been living in the United States, will be remembered by many lovers of Congolese music for being a singer with the legendary Tabu Ley’s Afrisa International Band.

According to veteran US- based fellow Congolese musician Mekanisi Modero, Dodo died on Sunday night at a hospital in Los Angeles following a short illness.

"We are yet to get details on the cause of his death, which has got many of us by surprise,” Mr Mekanisi said.

Dodo, 61, relocated to US with Tabu Ley in 1993 in search of greener pastures from the chaotic Mobutu Sese Seko’s Zaire, later renamed Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

HIT SONGS

Dodo, who joined Afrisa International in 1985 from Zaiko Langa Langa, will be remembered for his hit song, "Nalingi Yo Linga Ngai", a rumba ballad, which propelled him to popularity with Afrisa.

He was also among those sang the "Sacramento" hit song alongside superstar Nyboma Mwandido and later on the ever popular "Muzina" hit song by Tabu Ley, which was released in late 1994.

Notably, the video version of Muzina was partly recorded when the Afrisa International visited Nairobi in 1995. Speaking to Nation yesterday from Paris, Nyboma condoled with the bereaved family on behalf of his Congolese counterparts in Paris. “We miss him, having been an inspiring and jovial singer," he said.

His death is also a blow to the members of Afrisa International, who were preparing to travel back home in DRC next month for a performance tour to mark the fifth anniversary since the death of their band leader Tabu Ley.