The late Lingala music icon had so many lively music that even when it was performed by an amateur band, the fans will still feel the music flavour. His music crossed wide and far through the county borders of Kenya.
Here are ten facts about the late icon from Zaire.
1. The Congolese music star was born Jules Shungu Webadio in 1949
2. Papa Wemba as he’s widely known reportedly inspired a cult movement known as the Sapeurs whose members are young men that spend huge amounts of money on designer clothes.
3. In 2004, he was convicted in France of a role in an illegal immigration racket and spent three months in prison.
4. He was once jailed in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), for allegedly having an affair with a general’s daughter.
5. Together with his bands Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, he racked up hit after hit including L’Esclave and Le Voyageur.
6. His conviction in France related to a racket whereby illegal immigrants were taken to Europe posing as members of his band.
7. In 2013, he was rumoured dead after which he took to Twitter to dispel the rumour.
8. Papa Wemba was one of the very first musicians to join the influential Soukous band, Zaiko Langa Langa when it was created in December 1969 in Kinshasa
9. On 18 February 2003, he was suspected of being involved in a network that has allegedly smuggled hundreds of illegal immigrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire) into Europe, Papa Wemba was arrested at his home in Paris.
10. He was one of Africa’s most popular musicians of the period and prominent in world music. He has been dubbed the “King of Rumba”
By Simon Etemesi.
