Known for his mastery of African rumba, he was nicknamed by fans and critics "Sorcerer of the Guitar" and the "Grand Maître of Zairean Music", as well as Franco de Mi Amor by female fandom.

[14][15][16] As the band's leading guitarist, he assumed sole leadership in 1970 and introduced innovations to African rumba, including altering the placement of the genre's instrumental interlude sebene at the end of songs.

[26][27][28] He came from an interethnic background: his father, Joseph Emongo, was a Tetela railway worker, while his mother, Hélène Mbongo Makiese, was Kongo with Ngombé roots through her paternal lineage.

[31] With no alternative to continue his schooling, he began devoting his time to playing the harmonica and other instruments and later joined a group called Kebo, noted for its rhythmic sound, primarily produced by patenge, a wooden frame drum held between the legs, with its tone altered by pressing the skin with the heel.

According to Congolese musicologist Clément Ossinondé, Luambo's ability quickly became apparent, with immense astonishment prevailing "the day it was discovered that the packer was a budding guitar genius".

[32] Although, at that time, musical pursuits were viewed as degrading and synonymous with delinquency for those who engaged in them, Luambo pursued it with immense zeal to assist his mother, whose sole source of sustenance for the entire family came from Mama Makiese's operation of a doughnut stall at the Ngiri-Ngiri market colloquially known as wenze ya bayaka.

British musicologist Gary Stewart suggests that Luambo, in conjunction with Paul Ebengo Dewayon, co-founded Watam in 1950, accompanied by novice musicians Louis Bikunda, Ganga Mongwalu, and Mutombo.

[35]: 53  Conversely, Clément Ossinondé presents an alternative viewpoint, asserting that Watam was initially established by Paul Ebengo Dewayon, with Luambo joining the collective in 1953 after returning to Léopoldville.

[32] As a token of recognition for his burgeoning abilities, Luambo was gifted a modern guitar nicknamed Libaku ya nguma ("the head of the boa") due to its considerable size.

[32] He also participated in the recording of songs composed by fellow Watam members, including Mutombo's singles "Tongo Etani Matata" and "Tika Kobola Tolo", released on 17 December.

[32][35]: 52  He collaborated with fellow musicians such as Philippe Lando Rossignol, Daniel Loubelo "De la lune", Edo Nganga, and Bosuma Dessouin, quickly standing out with his signature guitar technique and musical inventiveness.

[32][43][44] The idea was conceived by Jean Serge Essous, who had found a better way to honor Oscar Kassien (later to become Kashama) for his laudable initiative in providing the group with instruments and the venue where it commenced.

[32] This technique was central to the band's signature sound, which drew heavily from rumba odemba, a rhythmic and stylistic approach said to have roots in the folklore of the Mongo ethnic group from Mbandaka.

[32] He collaborated closely with Jean Serge Essous, creating a dynamic partnership that yielded some of the band's most revered tracks, including Franco's written Congolese rumba-infused breakout anthem "On Entre O.K., On Sort K.O.

New musicians, including Edouard Ganga "Edo", Célestin Kouka, Nino Malapet (previously of the disbanded Negro Jazz orchestra), and Antoine Armando "Brazzos", were integrated into the band on 31 December, filling the void left by departing members.

In a 1957 ACP Bulletins article, Congolese Information Minister Jean Jacques Kande remarked, "In the most frequented bars in the city, he pinches his guitar, many young girls stir in his direction in tribute to their rooted damn and gratify the looks that would derail a train launched at full speed.

Inspired by Le Grand Kallé after the tour that year, Franco established his own label and publishing house, Epanza Makita, with political support from Thomas Kanza, who facilitated favorable dealings with the Belgian record company Fonior.

[59][60] In 1985, TPOK Jazz released the Congolese rumba-infused album Mario, which experienced instant success, with the Franco-written title track earning gold certification after selling over 200,000 copies in Zaire.

[32] Franco's final recording took place in Brussels in February 1989, contributing to Sam Mangwana's four-track album Forever, alongside session musicians and select TPOK Jazz members.

"[75] He similarly played a subdued role on his own album Franco Joue avec Sam Mangwana, recorded with TPOK Jazz, where his impassioned vocals enliven the track "Lukoki", a song rooted in folklore, reminiscent of Zimbabwe's chimurenga music.

[76][77][78] At the time, Mobutu, then a Chief of Staff of the Congolese National Army (Armée Nationale Congolaise; ANC), had served as Lumumba's personal aide before executing a perfidious betrayal.

[79] In a show of force, Mobutu orchestrated the public execution of five political dissidents, including Évariste Kimba and former ministers Jérôme Anany, Emmanuel Bamba, and André Mahamba, on Pentecost in Matonge.

[87] He then propagated a forceful nationalist state ideology known as Authenticité, which sought to reappropriate and exalt indigenous culture while systematically eradicating colonial influence with a distinctly Zairean identity.

[81] His 1970 song "République du Zaire", written by Munsi Jean (Kwamy), endorsed Mobutu's renaming of the country, urging Zaireans to adopt the new national identity.

[53] TPOK Jazz also performed at numerous political events, most notably the Zaire 74 music festival, which was organized to promote the heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa.

[93][94][95] In 1975, Franco released the album Dixième Anniversaire to commemorate Mobutu's decade in power, though he insisted his actions were driven by civic and patriotic duty rather than political interests.

[53] Ten of his musicians, many unrelated to the controversial content, were also sentenced to two months, including Papa Noël Nedule, Simaro Lutumba, Kapitena Kasongo, Gerry Dialungana, Flavien Makabi, Gégé Mangaya, Makonko Kindudi (popularly known as "Makos"), Isaac Musekiwa and Lola Checain.

In 1983, he collaborated with Tabu Ley Rochereau to release a series of albums, the most famous being Lettre A Monsieur Le Directeur Général (popularly known as "D.G"), with the title track sharply criticizing the corrupt and inept bureaucrats in charge of Zaire's ministries and parastatals.

[106] With its haunting guitar harmonies and intense drumming, Franco delivered a passionate and almost prophetic plea, urging people to be cautious in their intimate relationships and calling on governments to take more decisive action in the fight against AIDS.

According to a description, "horns might engage in an upbeat dialogue with the guitar, or set up hypnotic vamps that carried the song forward as on the crest of a wave", while percussion parts are "a cushion supporting the band, rather than a prod to raise the energy level".