httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iysV9IieQSw
One of Africa’s most famous musicians and an international style icon, Congolese singer Papa Wemba, died suddenly during a performance early Sunday at age 66.
Papa Wemba was born in 1949 in Lubefu, in the Central African nation known then as the Belgian Congo, later as Zaire and now as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Artists like Franco and Tabu Ley Rocau became idols all over the continent, and to the young Papa Wemba as well.
Papa Wemba’s smooth, easy sound and extraordinary voice reached the ears of some very famous European and American artists as well.
As the years went by, Papa Wemba continued to hone his sound to keep up with current trends.
Papa Wemba also gained notoriety for his offstage dealings.
Upon his release, he moved back to the DRC. At home, and across sub-Saharan Africa and the African diaspora, Papa Wemba will be remembered not just for his voice and for his musical innovations, but his legendary sense of fashion style.
After Papa Wemba’s death, the BBC collected reflections from a number of other prominent African artists.