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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWEMBA, Papa(b Jules Shungu Wembadi Pene Kikiumba, 14 June 1949, in what was then the Belgian Congo, later Zaire, now the Republic on Congo; d 24 April 2016, Abidjan, Ivory Coast) African singer, composer, bandleader. He He had a sweet tenor voice, singing in his native Lingala and in French. He first came to notice as leader and singer with 'new wave' outfit Orchestre Viva La Musica in the early '70s (compilation L'Afrique Danse) alongside other new bands such as Zaiko and Les Trois Frères; as one of the strongest guardians of Zaire's musical traditions (despite an eccentric appearance) he became a champion of the 'authenticit‚' movement of cultural identity: his music was first called Congolese rumba, but then became soukous, from the French for 'to shake'. His hit 'Analengo' was included on Papa Wemba Et L'Orchestre Viva La Musica. By the '80s he had left the band and recorded in Paris with the cream of Zaire's expatriate musicians: Papa Wemba Et Les Djamukets De Paris on Pass, Firenze '84 with Strervos Niarcos, then with Lita Bemba (ex-Stukas) in new Zaire super-group La Guerre Des Stars on Tchika. Papa Wemba '88 on Stern's went beyond the soukous style, followed by more commercial success with Something For My African Fans '94 on Foridoles and Emotion '94 on Realworld, produced by mainstream pop specialist Stephan Hague without compromising Wemba's essential African roots. There was another album called Viva La Musica on CD, and Nouvelle Ecriture on Sonodisc experimented with Latin dub. He was also an actor, playing an aspiring singer in a musical film La Vie Est Belle '87. He was a snappy dresser, favoring outfits by European and Japanese fashion designers. In 2004 he pleaded guilty to trying to help smuggle dozens of Africans into Europe disguised as musicians, and served some time in a French prison; it was obvious that he was trying to help some young people escape Congo's endless civil war. He died after collapsing during a performance; his passing caused public mourning all over Africa. |