Legendary Congolese and African music superstar, Papa Wemba, died yesterday at the age of 66 after collapsing during a concert.
According to BBC News, a video from a show in Ivory Coast showed him slumped on stage suddenly behind a group of dancers, before they rushed to his aid.
Wemba’s music style pioneered a blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds to established himself as one of Africa’s most popular music composer and performers.
Wemba also toured around the world, and in 1997 he performed ‘So Why’ with some of Africa’s finest musicians featuring Nigeria’s Lagbaja and Senegalese Youssou N’Dour. The song was dedicated to the plight of conflicts and wars in Africa.
“I would put him in the same bracket as Fela Kuti when it comes to influence on African music,” said DJ Edu, BBC 1xtra’s African Music Ambassador.
Wemba died before he could be taken to hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan told Reuters news agency.
Born in 1949 with the real name was Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, he began his singing career in religious choirs.
He helped modernise Congolese rumba music, with the genre that emerged – soukous – which became popular across Africa.
Together with his bands Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, he racked up hit after hit, including L’Esclave and Le Voyageur.
Wemba appeared in two feature films, Life Is Beautiful (1987) and Wild Games (1997).
Meanwhile, Congolese President Joseph Kabila has expressed his condolences, and there expectations of big events paying homage in the coming days.
According to the Congolese Culture Minister, Baudouin Banza Mukalay, “his death is a great loss for the country and all of Africa.”
In 1979, Wemba attained the role of the unofficial leader of the Sapeur (Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes d’Élégance, translated as “the Society of Atmosphere-setters and Elegant People,” or SAPE) which he promoted as a youth cult.
According to Wemba: “The Sapeur cult promoted high standards of personal cleanliness, hygiene and smart dress, to a whole generation of youth across Zaire. When I say well groomed, well shaved, well perfumed, it’s a Characteristic that I am insisting on among the young. I don’t care about their education, since education always comes first of all from the family.”
