Papa Wemba

Congolese singer

Papa Wemba (Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba), (born June 14, 1949, Lubefu, Kasai region, Belgian Congo [now Democratic Republic of the Congo]—died April 24, 2016, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), Congolese singer who earned the sobriquet “king of rumba rock” for his expertise in Congolese rumba, a form of dance music that combines indigenous traditional songs with Afro-Cuban rumba rhythms. Papa Wemba’s onstage exuberance and distinctive falsetto tenor voice helped to spread the popularity of African “world music,” notably soukous dance music, a blend of African rhythms, Cuban beats, and international pop that evolved from the Congolese rumba. He also served as a fashion icon for his fans, known as sapeurs (part of a movement called “La Sape” from the phrase La Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes; Eng. trans., The Society of Ambience-Makers and Elegant People), who emulated his passion for flashy, dandified Western designer clothes. Papa Wemba’s mother was a pleureuse (a professional funeral dirge singer). He joined the Roman Catholic Church after the death of his father, a chief of customs, and began singing in the church choir. In 1969 he joined the newly founded soukous band Zaiko Langa Langa, and in 1977 he formed his own spin-off band, Viva la Musica, with which he recorded (in both French and Lingala) and toured extensively. He later lived in Paris, toured with such European talent as British musician Peter Gabriel, and recorded (notably the 1995 album Emotion) with Gabriel’s Real World label. In 2003 Papa Wemba was arrested in France and briefly imprisoned for smuggling African refugees into Europe disguised as musicians.

Melinda C. Shepherd