papa-wemba

Papa Wemba, RIP

Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, who performed as Papa Wemba, died on April 24 at age 66 after collapsing at a concert in Ivory Coast, Africa which was part of the FEMUA urban music festival. One of Africa’s most popular musicians, Papa Wemba helped pioneer the soukous sound (aka Congolese rhumba), which blended African, Cuban and Westerns sounds. He was also a style icon, heading up organization Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People and embodying the Sapeur style. From the BBC:

Mixing traditional African music with Western rock, he and his successive bands – Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica – enjoyed hit after hit, including L’Esclave and Le Voyageur.

Shaping Congolese music in the 1970s and 1980s, he made soukous the most popular sound across Africa, and attracted international music figures like Peter Gabriel.
“I do not know if this is a loss for African music because the music does not die,” said Eric Didia, a promoter of Congolese music in Ivory Coast and friend of Wemba who was at the morgue where his body was taken.

“People can listen to Papa Wemba songs in 50 years, in 100 years.”

Rest in peace, Papa Wemba. Your music lives on. Video and album streams below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVWxK2GMB7g&list=PLpRUMPgEfBKQjdsRbDPBYyq4d38jvk6gX

Categories: