King of 'Rhumba' Papa Wemba Dies at 66

Congolese musician and one of Africa’s most popular music icons, Papa Wemba has died at the age of 66, after he collapsed mid-performance during a concert in Ivory Coast.

Leaked footage from the concert shows Papa Wemba collapsing behind a group of dancers while the rest of his fellow performers rushing to his aid.

He died before he could be brought to hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan told Reuters news agency.

Wemba had been reported to be ill before his performance, however his cause of death still remains a mystery.

Born in 1949 AS Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, Wemba started out singing in the choir before becoming one of the pioneers of modern Lingala/Rhumba music as well as a fashion icon.

His music was considered a blend of the African and Western pop sound and was heard in many parts of the globe where he’d toured to perform.

News of his death comes merely days after the music world lost yet another icon in the form of American pop star Prince.

They will surely be missed. Rest In Peace Papa Wemba.