How top Rhumba stars got their stage names

Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi and Kabaselleh Yampanya popularly known as Franco and Pepe Kalle led TP OK Jazz Band and Empire Bakuba Orchestra.

Benga queen Princess Jully is actually called Lillian Auma, however, the Dunia Mbaya star is better known by her stage name.

Princess Jully took over her husband Prince Jully’s band after he died in 1997. Prince Jully, whose real name was Julius Okumu, was the leader of Jolly Boys Band.

And rhythm guitarist and Rhumba wizard the late Lokassa Ya Mbongo was known to his fans as ‘Lokassa ya Dollar’ (derived from his stage name, Mbongo, the Lingala word for money).

He was born in 1946 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo as Denis Lokassa Kasia. His appetite for money in the chase for greener pastures made him switch bases from one continent.

This earned him the name Mr Money Man, changing his name to Lokassa ya Mbongo (Dollar).

“That’s the reason he lived in this popular name Lokassa Ya Mbongo (Dollar) not Lokassa Kasia Dennis,” said Les Mangelepa band leader Longwa Ngui.

He changed his name to Lokassa Ya Mbongo while in Lome, Togo, his first stop shop outside the Democratic Republic of Congo while performing with Nyboma Mwan Dido and Syran M’Benza. 

He settled in Paris, France and then later moved to New York, US where he died from heart-related complications. Lokassa died on March 15, 2023, at the age of 77 in the US.

Longwa, referred to as Longwa Disco in the streets of Nairobi,  said stage names are easily recognisable.

Even global stars are not immune. Take American singer Stevie Wonder. His real name is Stevland Judkins Hardaway Morris.

American pop singer Katy Perry, whose real name is Katheryn ‘Katy’ Hudson, is easily confused with that of actress Kate Hudson. However, some singers prefer to use their real names like UK-based Kwasa Kwasa maestro Kanda Bongoman and African All Stars band leader Sam Mangwana.