Joseph Roger N'Yoka M'Vula (7 September 1953), known professionally as Jossart N'Yoka Longo, is a Congolese singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader, best known as leader of Zaïko Langa Langa. Affectionately dubbed "Vieux Bombas", he was immersed in Kinshasa's dynamic music scene from an early age. He began his artistic journey with the local band Bel Guide National, based in Dendale. In December 1969, he became the third member of Zaïko Langa Langa, alongside Papa Wemba and Félix Manuaku Waku, one of the most influential and innovative musical forces in Africa, redefining the contours of Congolese rumba.
Distinguished by his nasal vocal timbre, dance moves, and songwriting, N'Yoka Longo quickly emerged as one of Zaïko Langa Langa's main attractions. By the early 1980s, he had taken the helm of the group, leading it through decades of musical evolution and international success. Some of his most popular compositions include "Sentiment Awa", "Dede Sur Mesure", "SVP Mbey", and "Paiement Cash". Though he never pursued a full solo career, he participated in collaborative ventures such as the album Bilombe Bakutani, recorded with Papa Wemba and Bimi Ombale. A key innovation credited to N'Yoka Longo is the introduction of atalaku into Congolese rumba, vocalists responsible for actively engaging the audience, building excitement, and augmenting the performance with spirited vocalizations and rhythmic chants.
Under his leadership, Zaïko Langa Langa toured extensively, gracing prestigious stages across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. Notable performances include appearances at the Paris Zenith, Elysée Montmartre, Bataclan, Cirque d'Hiver, and La Madeleine.
In recognition of his lifelong contribution to Congolese music and culture, N'Yoka Longo was decorated in December 2015 as a Knight in the Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba. Since September 2021, he has served as the director of SOCODA (Société Congolaise de Droits d'Auteur et Droits Voisins). With a career spanning over half a century, Jossart N'Yoka Longo remains a towering figure in African music and a living symbol of Congolese cultural excellence. In 2024, he was awarded the prestigious Rumba Prize, honoring his impact on the genre over more than five decades.
Early life and career
1953–1970: Childhood, education and music debut Joseph Roger N'Yoka M'Vula was born on 7 September 1953 in the Commune of Kinshasa, Léopoldville (present-day Kinshasa), in the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). He was the second and last child in his family. His mother, Elisabeth Saka Mayamba, was a banana vendor in the local markets, while his father, Daniel M'Vula Malembe, worked as a gardener for the Philips Congo company. N'Yoka grew up with his elder sister, Albertine Longo, who was born in 1951.
During his early childhood, the family relocated to the Commune of N'Djili, where he spent most of his formative years. He first attended École Saint-André, where he also joined the choir of the Église Saint-André, refining his vocal abilities. He later completed his secondary education at Collège Albert Ier. He lost his father, Daniel, in 1964. It was during these years, as he began showing an early interest in singing, that he was nicknamed Jossart, a French-derived acronym meaning José sera artiste ("José will be an artist"). Although immersed in music from a young age, Jossart initially did not aspire to a musical career. He maintained close relationships with local priests, which took care of him (as well as the Philips Congo company) after the early passing of his parents, and even considered entering the priesthood.
In 1969, at the age of 16, Jossart joined a local youth band named Bel Guide National, based in the Dendale district (present-day Kasa-Vubu) alongside Félix Manuaku Waku. The group was founded by Pierre Zinga, also known as Perzy, and included D. V. Moanda in its administrative ranks. Jossart quickly distinguished himself as a talented songwriter; one of his earliest compositions, "Amour Hebdo", would later be released under the title "Oyebaka".
On 23 December 1969, a young man named Jules Shungu Wembadio, singing under the stage name Jules Presley, attended a rehearsal of Bel Guide, accompanied by guitarist Félix Manuaku Waku. Impressed by their performance, Moanda and the administrators decided to dissolve Bel Guide in favor of forming a new band, centered around the emerging talents of Jules and Manuaku. The next day, on 24 December 1969, a foundational meeting took place at the residence of the Mangaya family, located at 10 Avenue Popo Kabaka in the Kasa-Vubu commune. The band Zaïko Langa Langa was born. Jossart was not present at the meeting, as he was attending a concert by the group Thu-Zaïna, but was informed of the new band's formation. He was soon brought in as one of its vocalists, alongside Jules Presley. At the time, he performed under the stage name Jehrsy Jossart.
The first rehearsal of Zaïko Langa Langa took place on 26 December 1969 at 7 Rue Luozi, the Mangaya family residence. The ensemble included Jehrsy Jossart N'Yoka Longo and Jules Presley Shungu as vocalists, Félix Manuaku Waku on lead guitar, Teddy Sukami on rhythm guitar (still learning the instrument), and Enoch Zamuangana as a third guitarist. Jossart sang in Zaïko Langa Langa's debut concert on 24 March 1970, held at the Bar Dancing Hawaï in the Yolo-Nord district of the Commune of Kalamu. Shortly thereafter, the group recorded its first tracks at the Philips studio, including one of Jossart's original compositions, "La tout neige". The track was released on the Polydor label, paired with "Francine Keller", a song by Evoloko Jocker.
Still in March 1970, Bimi Ombale joined Zaïko Langa Langa as the group's drummer. At this time, Jossart also briefly played drums as his stand-in.
1971–1982: Standalone releases, bandleader of Zaïko Langa Langa "La Tout Neige" entered the Zairian hit parade and marking his first success as a composer. Over the next years, he established himself as one of Zaïko Langa Langa's main creative forces, not only contributing vocals but also composing numerous songs for the band. In 1971, N'Yoka Longo composed "Mado" and "Ma", followed in 1972 by "Nimerita" and "Mbuli Ya M.T." He initially performed duets with Shungu Wembadio (Papa Wemba), and soon became a key supporter of Bimi Ombale during his transition from drummer to vocalist—a move that was met with resistance from other band members at the time.
Throughout 1973, N'Yoka Longo released several tracks including "Errare Humanum Est", "Michelis-Fe", and "Selenge". That same year, Zaïko Langa Langa received its first major recognition, being named Best Orchestra at the Referendum de l'Association de chroniqueurs musicaux du Zaïre (ACMZA). During this period, N'Yoka experienced a personal loss with the death of his elder sister, Albertine Longo, an event that profoundly affected him. In tribute, he adopted the name Jossart N'Yoka Longo, incorporating her surname. In early 1974, he recorded the hits "Ngadiadia" and "Amando", and later that year participated as a vocalist with Zaïko Langa Langa in the Zaire 74 music festival, held in Kinshasa. In December 1974, the group experienced its first major split, with Papa Wemba, Evoloko Jocker, Bozi Boziana, and Mavuela Somo departing to form Isifi Lokole. To maintain the band's momentum, N'Yoka Longo released "Bambela" (originally titled "Na Lingi Yo Na Pluriel").
In 1975–76, Zaïko Langa Langa toured Togo and Ghana, and under the supervision of Henri Bowane, recorded their second studio album, Plaisir de l'Ouest Afrique (1976) in Accra. N'Yoka contributed the songs "Ma", "Bomwana", and "Saloti". That same year, he released "Nalali Pongi", a song reflecting on his sister's death. The track won Best Song of the Year (1976), and the band was once again voted Best Orchestra.
In 1977, N'Yoka Longo was selected to join the Orchestre National du Zaïre (ONAZA), alongside Likinga Redo, Manuaku Waku, and Mbuta Mashakado. The ensemble performed at FESTAC 77 in Lagos, Nigeria, where he performed "Nalali Pongi" alongside artists such as Tabu Ley Rochereau. That year, he also released the single "Lidjo" with Zaïko Langa Langa.
In 1978, N'Yoka participated in Zaïko Langa Langa's first European tour, and in late 1978, he released "Sentiment Awa", a song that became a defining classic for both himself and the band. A second version of the song, recorded in March 1979, earned him second place in the ranking of Best Songwriters of the Year, while the band was ranked fourth-best group of the year. That year, N'Yoka also released the hit singles "Mimi C'est Trop Tard", "Chérie N'Zemo", and "Pa Oki." In 1980, he followed with "Nalapa Ndayi" and later "Crois-moi", which would appear on the 1983 LP L'Orchestre de Tous les Âges. The band's LP, Gitta présente le Tout-Choc Zaïko Langa Langa, was released in 1981, featuring two compositions by N'Yoka Longo: "Mobembo" and "Confiance." The following year, the band released "Tout Choc, on which he contributed "Amour Suicide." Both albums were recorded during the VISA 1980 European tour, organized by Franco Luambo, which Zaïko Langa Langa did not complete due to internal disagreements.
During this same European tour, Teddy Sukami, who had taken over as band conductor after Manuaku Waku's departure in 1980, also left the group to pursue a solo career. As a result, Jossart N'Yoka Longo assumed leadership of Zaïko Langa Langa, becoming the band's frontman. He was the first Congolese artist to be referred to as President, a nickname that would later become a common title for musical bandleaders in Congolese music.
In 1982, Zaïko Langa Langa released a double LP recorded in Brussels, which included the hit "SOS Maya", composed by N'Yoka Longo. Upon returning to Kinshasa, the band faced a hiatus after ending their contract with Verckys. To revitalize the group, N'Yoka proposed the recruitment of three new members from the Kintambo-based band Bana Odéon—Nono Monzuluku, Bébé Mangituka, and Djerba Manzeku—whom he admired. During the official televised presentation of the album on 30 October 1982 on the program Variété Samedi Soir, spectators witnessed a pivotal innovation in Congolese music history: the introduction of atalaku (also known by the French term animateur), a form of vocal hype chant, into a contemporary Congolese band. The term atalaku was derived from their first chant "Ah, tala ku!" in the Humbu language. This stylistic addition, spearheaded under N'Yoka Longo's direction and initially mocked by music listeners, would go on to influence virtually every major band in Congolese music for decades to come.
Still in 1982, N'Yoka Longo collaborated with fellow Zaïko Langa Langa luminaries Papa Wemba and Bimi Ombale on the album Bilombe Bakutani, released under the banner Le Trio N'Yo-Bi-We, an acronym formed from the first syllables of their names. N'Yoka Longo contributed the track "Ami Mondzo", dedicated to producer Chirac Mondzo.
1983–2000: "SVP Mbey", Nippon Banzai and SONECA presidency As the 1980s unfolded, Jossart N'Yoka Longo transitioned into a broader leadership and creative direction role within Zaïko Langa Langa, consolidating his position as a pillar of the band's identity and longevity. While he did not contribute vocally to the band's tenth studio album, On Gagne le Procès (1984), he shared artistic direction responsibilities with Mbuta Matima. The band experienced a prolific phase in 1985, releasing two notable albums: Zaïko Eyi Nkisi and Tala Modèle Échanger. On these records, N'Yoka Longo contributed the songs "SVP Mbey" and "Daïd'ano", respectively.