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Congolese singer Papa Wemba dies after collapsing on stage Congolese singer Papa Wemba dies after collapsing on stage
(about 4 hours later)
Papa Wemba, the world music star known as the “king of Congolese rumba”, has died after collapsing on stage during a concert.Papa Wemba, the world music star known as the “king of Congolese rumba”, has died after collapsing on stage during a concert.
The 66-year-old singer collapsed mid-performance at the Femua festival of urban music in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Saturday night.The 66-year-old singer collapsed mid-performance at the Femua festival of urban music in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Saturday night.
On Sunday, the organisers confirmed his death, extending condolences to his family “and the world of culture”.On Sunday, the organisers confirmed his death, extending condolences to his family “and the world of culture”.
Video footage showed him falling to the floor during a song and musicians and backing singers running to his aid. Baudouin Banza Mukalay, Democratic Republic of Congo culture minister, said: “It is a great loss for Congo and for all of Africa. He was a self-made man, a role model for Congolese youth.”
Senagalese superstar Youssou N’dour also paid tribute to Wemba. He posted a video of them on Twitter performing together underneath the words: “Heavy heart, heavy, really heavy. Rest in peace the artist.”
Video footage showed Wemba, wearing a bold black and white patterned tunic and oversized bowler hat, falling to the floor during a song and musicians and backing singers running to his aid. The father-of-six was taken to a nearby clinic but could not be resuscitated. Wemba had appeared to be in good health just days earlier when he met journalists at the beginning of the music festival. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Le CG #FEMUA9 a le regret d'annoncer le décès de PAPA WEMBA, dû à un malaise sur scène dans la nuit du 23-24/04/2016 pic.twitter.com/DDPyR5D459Le CG #FEMUA9 a le regret d'annoncer le décès de PAPA WEMBA, dû à un malaise sur scène dans la nuit du 23-24/04/2016 pic.twitter.com/DDPyR5D459
Wemba was born Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in former Zaire, where he burst on to the local music scene with his first band, Zaiko Langa Langa, in 1969. Wemba was born Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in former Zaire, then the Belgian Congo. He began singing in a church choir but burst on to the local music scene with his first band, Zaiko Langa Langa, in 1969.
He went on to enjoy huge success in Africa and Europe, where he settled in the 80s to pursue his international career. Among the world music stars he worked with was the former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel. His concerts filled football stadiums from the United States to Japan They rose to fame in Kinshasa in the 1970s with the band’s guitar-based fusion of Latin and African dance styles inspiring a generation of African musicians.
Wemba was renowned for his flamboyance, and as the moving spirit behind a cult movement known as “Sapeurs” (members of the Society for the Advancement of Elegant People) whose members – young men – spent huge amounts of money on designer clothes. With a new band, Viva La Musica, Wemba moved to Paris in the 80s, helping to popularise Congolese music beyond Africa. As well as N’dour, he worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and Peter Gabriel. He toured with Gabriel and Wemba appeared on the former Genesis singer’s 1994 album Secret World Live.
In 2004, he was convicted in France of people smuggling after dozens of people from the Democratic Republic of Congo accompanied him into the country, claiming they were band members. He was given a 30-month jail term, 26 of them suspended, after being found guilty of “assistance to the illegal entry or residence of foreigners”. At the 1996 inaugural Kora All-Africa music awards, he was named best male artist.
His concerts filled football stadiums from the United States to Japan. In 2000, he headlined the Womad festival.
Le coeur lourd, lourd, mais vraiment lourd. Repose en paix l'artiste https://t.co/lchgTOc2ZQ #RIPPapaWemba
Wemba was renowned for his flamboyance, and as the moving spirit behind a cult movement known as “Sapeurs” (members of the Society for the Advancement of Elegant People) whose members – young men – spent huge amounts of money on designer clothes, hitting back at the hardship that surrounded them.
In 2004, he was convicted in France of people smuggling after dozens of people from the Democratic Republic of Congo accompanied him into the country, claiming they were band members. He was given a 30-month jail term, 26 of them suspended, after being found guilty of “assistance to the illegal entry or residence of foreigners”. Wemba was released after the conviction, on the basis that he had spent more than three months in prison on remand. In an interview afterwards, he said: “If I ever took money - and I’m not saying I did - it was for humanitarian reasons. I took a dozen children out of the country so they could escape the terrible conditions that exist there.”
After his conviction he converted to Christianity.After his conviction he converted to Christianity.
He remained popular and, in 2008, he performed at a concert in London to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday.