Renowned Congolese singer Papa Wemba dies in Abidjan

Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, known as Papa Wemba, said a definitive farewell to the stage this weekend. The renowned Congolese singer suffered an unknown malaise during a concert in Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday.A day later, the organisers of the Anoumabo urban music festival, FEMUA announced his death on their website.

Papa Wemba E. Sadaka

Born in 1949 in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai-Oriental province, Papa Wemba quickly became a pivotal player on the African continent's music scene. He lived almost all his life as a musician - nearly 50 years - having started his career at age 20. He was said to have inherited his love of song from his mother, who was a professional wailing woman at funerals.

In the 1950s Congolese rumba dominated the continent and if it is still present on the African scene today, many experts say it is largely thanks to Papa Wemba.

Papa Wemba founded the label and group Viva la Musica in 1977, and would later create scintillating videos while pioneering emblems of world music. He also discovered and trained generations of African musicians like Koffi Olomide, and created SAPE, the Society of Ambianceurs and Elegant People.

British musician Peter Gabriel later helped make Papa Wemba's artistry known to the world.

According to one of Papa Wemba's press relations agents, the renowned singer collapsed on stage during a performance in Abidjan on Saturday night. Henri Noel Mbuta Vokia told the Congolese UN-backed radio station, Radio Okapi on Sunday that Red Cross workers came on stage to attend to Papa Wemba after the third song of his set. Mbuta Vokia said authorities later took Papa Wemba to hospital where he was placed under intensive care before he died shortly after.

Papa Wemba was 66 years old.