Yoka Lokole

Yoka Lokole was a soukous band from Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) founded by Papa Wemba and others in 1975 and disbanded in 1978. Despite its short life, Yoka Lokole was a prominent band in Zaire in the mid-1970s, as its lineup comprised several of the most influential soukous musicians of the times, including Papa Wemba, Bozi Boziana, and Mavuela Somo. Yoka Lokole's most important members were singers; the vocal ensemble of the group was collectively known as the Fania All-Stars of Zaire. Since most of the soukous "stars" in Yoka Lokole were former members of Zaiko Langa Langa, Yoka Lokole belongs to the so-called "Clan Langa Langa", i.e., the large family of Zaiko Langa Langa spin-off bands.

The name "Yoka Lokole", in lingala, means "listen to the lokole", where the lokole is a traditional log drum in the area of the Congo River.

History

Yoka Lokole was founded as a consequence of a split of another prominent soukous band, Evoloko Jocker's Isifi Lokole. In November 1975, Papa Wemba, Mavuela Somo and Bozi Boziana left Isifi after a quarrel with Jocker. Two other Isifi members, Shora Mukoko and Otis Koyongonda, followed Wemba, Somo, and Boziana in the new ensemble.