Longue Longue: Down and out?

The year is 2001 and a newcomer is riding the wave of success thanks to the track Ayo Africa. His name is Longue Longue. The Douala -based artist took the entertainment scene by surprise with his rythmic Makossa, his activist messages and personality. Hardly had he arrived that he was already hailed the ‘Liberator” by fans who saw him as a breath of fresh air on the moribund Cameroonian music scene. Fast track to 2003 and he does it again. His second album ‘Privatisation” is at the top of the charts and his star status is sealed. He is the toast of the entertainment circuit, performing all over the country. The guy’s talent is undeniable. Two years later and baam, there is a new twist in this seemingly perfect storyline. In 2005, the artist is accused of and arrested for raping his companion’s 17-yr old niece. That seemed like the end of the party as henceforth Longue starts flirting with scandal and controversy. In addition to his ongoing rock’n’roll with the law, rumours surface alleging that he slept with a bosom friend’s girlfriend. He is later sentenced to jail for his French indiscretion. While he is paying his dues to society, one question that pundits are asking is this: was that miss his last hit or should we be expecting more hits, sometime in 2019, from the man who sang ” Je ne mourrai pas”.