Papa Wemba, a star of Congolese rumba and one of Africa’s most popular musicians, has died after suffering a seizure on stage, the organisers of the Femua festival in Ivory Coast said Sunday.
Wemba, born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kibumba, collapsed while performing in the Ivorian city of Abidjan on Saturday evening and was pronounced dead the next day. He was 66.
On the African music scene since 1969, Papa Wemba won a world music following with his quot;rumba rock quot;.
He inspired a cult movement known as the Sapeurs whose members, young men, spend huge amounts of money on designer clothes.
In 2004, he was convicted in France of a role in an illegal immigration racket and spent three months in prison.
He remained one of Africa ‘s most popular musicians.
France24 and BBC
