Congolese rumba music legend Papa Wemba died after collapsing on stage in the Ivory Coast in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the private morgue where his body was taken.

Wemba, born in 1949, was performing at the FEMUA 2016 festival when he collapsed on stage. Videos posted online showed the artist falling on his back mid-song before band members rushed to his side.


Known in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the King of Rumba Rock, Wemba's career began in the late 1960s. He became a staple of African music over the following decades, involved in bands including Zaiko Langa Langa and later Viva La Musica that reached audiences across the world.




