On 24 April 2016, Papa Wemba collapsed on stage in Abidjan while his band played behind him. He died on the way to hospital. He was 66.
The Congolese singer was performing at the Festival des Musiques Urbaines d’Anoumabo, known as FEMUA, in Côte d’Ivoire. Video of the moment spread quickly, and news of his death shocked music fans across Africa and in Europe, where he had lived and performed for years.
Zaiko Langa Langa and Viva La Musica
Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, known as Papa Wemba, was one of the founders of Zaiko Langa Langa in 1969, a band that brought a younger, faster, rock-influenced energy to Congolese music. He later formed Isifi and then Viva La Musica, which became one of the most popular bands in Kinshasa. He was called the King of Rumba Rock.
His high, expressive voice made him one of the most distinctive singers in African music.
La Sape
Papa Wemba was also a fashion icon. He was the best-known figure of La Sape, the Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes, a movement of young Congolese men and women who dress in expensive, flamboyant designer clothing. Sapeurs treat style as an art and a statement of dignity. Wemba’s influence on Kinshasa fashion made him a hero to sapeurs across both Congos and in the diaspora.
International career
From the 1980s he built an international career, recording albums that mixed rumba with other styles and working with Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. He toured Europe, Asia and the Americas, and appeared in the film La Vie est Belle (1987).
Legal trouble
In 2004 he was convicted in France in a case involving people smuggling, accused of bringing illegal immigrants into Europe as members of his band. He served time in custody. He later spoke about the experience as a turning point in his life and faith.
Mourning
After his death, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo declared national mourning, and his funeral in Kinshasa drew huge crowds. Musicians from across Africa paid tribute.
The legacy
Papa Wemba helped bridge Congolese rumba and modern African pop. Artists including Koffi Olomide, who began in his circle, and Fally Ipupa carry parts of his style. Sapeurs still honour him at gatherings.
He spent almost five decades on stage. He left it the way many performers say they would like to go: in the middle of a song.
