Madilu was 19 when he started his career in Kinshasa’s thriving music scene in 1969. Over the next fifteen years he sang with Orchestre Symba, Papa Noel’s Orchestre Bambula, Sam Mangwana’s Festival des Maquisards and his own Orchestre Bakuba Mayopi, but his career thus far neither revealed nor promised anything out of the ordinary (in an extraordinary milieu). It was Franco who made a star of Madilu System (as the big man had dubbed him). "Mamou (Tu Vois)," the record that introduced the new T.P.O.K. Jazz singer, was a hit in 1984. Madilu followed that up with his own composition for the band, "Pesa Position." Then came "Mario" and "Reponse de Mario" in ‘85 and perhaps the best of the Franco-Madilu duets, "La Vie des Hommes" in ’86.
Congo has bred singers with more impressive range, more force or sweeter tone than Madilu, but very few who sang with his expressiveness, his ability to vivify character with his voice. It was this quality that Franco appreciated so well. He and Madilu shared the lead vocals on many of Franco’s story-songs, Franco singing the narrative and Madilu assuming the role of the protagonist.
When Franco died in 1989, T.P.O.K. Jazz ceased making music for one year, then came together again with Madilu as one of the leaders. In the ensuing years he was a key participant in several of the band’s reunions on stage and in the studio, but at the same time he established himself as an independent artist. Of all the T.P.O.K. Jazz veterans, perhaps only Sam Mangwana had a stronger solo career than Madilu – and Madilu, unlike Sam, never lost his huge fan base in Kinshasa, even while he lived in Paris and Geneva. And yet he always remained an avid collaborator. Some of his best records were duets with peers such as Pépé Kallé, Nyboma Mwan-dido, M’bilia Bel and Josky Kiambukuta. In 2006 he joined the Congolese supergroup Kékélé for Tapale, one of the highlights of the album Kinavana, and in 2007 he reprised “Mario” in a stellar cameo with Africando. His voice was deeper and even huskier than it had been in the original recording, but if anything he rode that war-horse with even more panache than he had 22 years earlier.
Madilu System released a new album, La Bonne Humeur, the summer of 2006, and the first impression of many listeners was that it might be the finest of his career. He went to Kinshasa at the beginning of august 2007 to film videos of his new songs. He collapsed Friday the 10th of August and was taken to the University Hospital, where he died the next morning.
Ya Jean
Madilu System Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
bato baye kotuna nga likambo nazali se kolela lela, nazangi liloba ya ko zongisela bango po somo elekaki nga...
The lyrics of Madilu System's song "Ya Jean" are a heartfelt message to a man named Jean who has wronged the singer. Madilu System starts by addressing Jean directly, saying "Ya Jean aboyi nga tina te nasengi ye pardon" which means "Oh Jean, I haven't forgotten what you've done, but I forgive you". He then goes on to explain that despite forgiving Jean, he still needs support and encouragement to move forward in his life, as "nazangi soutien na vie na nga po a bombelela nga" or "I need support in my life to keep me moving forward".
The song also touches on the idea of making difficult decisions in life. Madilu sings "natongo alamuki au lieu atuna nga akamati decision" which means "I'm stuck between two choices and I don't know what decision to make". He then talks about how people around him try to influence his decisions by offering their own opinions, saying "nazangi liloba ya ko zongisela bango po somo elekaki nga" or "I hear the words they say but they don't understand my situation".
Overall, "Ya Jean" is a song about forgiveness, the need for support and the struggles of decision-making in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya Jean aboyi nga tina te nasengi ye pardon
Oh Jean, I am not angry with you, forgive me.
nazangi soutien na vie na nga po a bombelela nga
I am giving you my support in life because I believe in you.
mobali aboyi nga na se ya ndoto aloti nazweli ye mbanda
My dear husband, I dream of a bright future that we will build together.
natongo alamuki au lieu atuna nga akamati decision.
Let's work together instead of making decisions alone.
bato baye kotuna nga likambo nazali se kolela lela
People are talking about me behind my back, but I am not bothered.
nazangi liloba ya ko zongisela bango po somo elekaki nga...
I am telling them the truth, even if they do not want to hear it.
Contributed by Christopher T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mlgadmin1230
Ya Jean
How else can I express my love to you
I loved to the point where / I couldn’t call you
by your name anymore / I began calling you
Ya Jean (Big Brother John)
I inserted myself in your family
I let myself in
Eh
Ya Jean
Ya Za (nickname to imply intimacy)
Drop this madness way of life
Yeah
Ha, ha, ha, ha
You are done (artistic confidence laugh)
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah
I sang with Luambo Makiadi Franco
He made me sing, “They are big problems”
“Makambo Ezali Minene” /
I sang with Lutumba Simaro
He made me sing, “Merci Ba Pesaka na Mbwa”
“Funny Money”
(They are song tittles by Franco and
Simaro respectively)
No
Grand Master, Franco
We, your young brothers, took over
This year
You will not play [other Congolese musicians]
Really(bragging about his talent)
Sometimes I put my hand
on my cheek wondering
(sad)
Ah
Ah me, me it’s sad
Ah
Ah me, me it’s sad
Instrumental
Big Brother John rejected me
For no reason
I beg you
My husband rejected me in a dream
where I was with a rival
I have no supporters in my life
there’s no one to intervene
As he woke up, rather than asking me
He decided (made his mind up)
Sad!
This problem surpassed me
I can’t talk about it to people
Really, is this how you insult someone
Do you insult someone like this
Ya Bopol, is this how you insult someone
You leave the house in the morning
as you return
new issues
I am tired uh
yeaaaaaaaaaah
I sang with Luambo Makiadi Franco
He made me sing, “They are big problems”
“Makambo Ezali Minene”
I sang with Lutumba Simaro
He made me sing, “Merci Ba Pesaka na Mbwa”
“Funny Money”
(They are song titles by Franco and
Simaro respectively)
@josephatmoracha5755
Team 2024 lets gather here ❤ and agree that this music will never get old ❤.
@sheilahmasilwa4643
😂
@frank7435
I thought it was only me in 2024
@kanjasamkenya1599
🇰🇪 here
@Kimchiixp
Always meme 3024 on est la !
@evalynphillips5561
Madilu songs takes me way far. It can make still cry especially when it brings back friends who have left this life
@mr_cartoon202
Who is here in 2024 show up with like please ❤❤
@user-zs4qz4wm2n
We're here 😂😂😂
@leonardsang387
😅😅😅😅🎉🎉🎉
@magambochaz609
form Tanzania 🇹🇿 legend madilu 😭🙏