Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique
Back to Musiques d'AfriqueRetour aux Musiques d'Afrique
|<< Back to Music of D.R. of Congo
Papa Wemba (1949-2016)
(Congo-Kinshasa)
Biography
Papa Wemba's career started early 1970s when he was
one of the singers of Zaiko Langa Langa, a young band with a radical new style.
Ambitious as he is, he left the band and created, along with Evoloko Lay Lay, Mavuela Somo and
Bozi Boziana, a new band Isifi Lokole. Although successful, the outfit fell apart after a year and
Wemba, Mavuela and Bozi formed Yoka Lokole. Due to various difficulties, the band would not last much longer, and
in 1977, Papa Wemba decided to set up a new line-up, Viva La Musica. By 1986, he was ready to enter the European
music market, for which he recorded separate solo albums, parallel to the Viva la Musica group
albums. His distinct voice and his exceptional musicality have certainly helped him to gain
international acclaim.
At the end of the 1990s, he created a new band Nouvelle Ecriture (later Nouvelle Ecrita) with young musicians. The band Viva la Musica (in the meantime renamed into Viva la Musica-Cour des Grands) remained.
In 2003, Papa Wemba comes in serious conflict with the French authorities, for allegedly having facilitated illegal immigration into France of young Congolese by claiming them being part of Viva la Musica. He spent some time in prison in France, for what became popularly referred to as « affaire Ngulu ». Since his provisional release, he has set up a new band (Nouvelle Tendance) in France, while the Viva la Musica and Nouvelle Ecrita band members were left behind in Kinshasa. For some time, Papa Wemba was not allowed to leave France. In 2010, he came back with a new album, « Notre Père (Rumba) », followed by the 2014 album « Maître d'école ».
In the early morning of 24 April 2016, Papa Wemba died at the age of 66 during what turned out to be his last concert on the Festival des musiques urbaines d'Anoumabo (FEMUA) in Côte d'Ivoire, he collapsed during the third song. He died shortly after.
At the end of the 1990s, he created a new band Nouvelle Ecriture (later Nouvelle Ecrita) with young musicians. The band Viva la Musica (in the meantime renamed into Viva la Musica-Cour des Grands) remained.
In 2003, Papa Wemba comes in serious conflict with the French authorities, for allegedly having facilitated illegal immigration into France of young Congolese by claiming them being part of Viva la Musica. He spent some time in prison in France, for what became popularly referred to as « affaire Ngulu ». Since his provisional release, he has set up a new band (Nouvelle Tendance) in France, while the Viva la Musica and Nouvelle Ecrita band members were left behind in Kinshasa. For some time, Papa Wemba was not allowed to leave France. In 2010, he came back with a new album, « Notre Père (Rumba) », followed by the 2014 album « Maître d'école ».
In the early morning of 24 April 2016, Papa Wemba died at the age of 66 during what turned out to be his last concert on the Festival des musiques urbaines d'Anoumabo (FEMUA) in Côte d'Ivoire, he collapsed during the third song. He died shortly after.
Papa Wemba
Born: 14 June 1949, as Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in Lubefu, Kasaï Oriental Province, † 24 April 2016
Style: modern Congolese music, rumba, soukous
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Forever de génération en génération | 2016 | Papa Wemba | |
| Ainsi soit-il - 123 titres essentiels | 2016 | Les Disques Caractère - Sonodisc | Download album with 123 tracks |
| Maître d'école - Rumba na Rumba | 2014 | Cornely Malonge | |
| Notre Père (Rumba) | 2010 | Sina Performance | |
| New Morning | 2006 | Synchronies Music PW001 | CD & DVD of live performance at the New Morning |
| Best of Papa Wemba | 2003 | Sonodisc CDS 9116 | 2 CD (Compilation) |
| Molokai | 1998 | Real World CDRW 70 | |
| Emotion | 1995 | Real World CDRW 52 | International Solo Album |
| Le Voyageur | 1992 | Real World CDRW 20 | International Solo Album |
| Papa Wemba | 1988 | Stern's STCD 1026 | |
| Album with Koffi Olomide: | |||
| Wake Up - Album de légende | 1996 | Sonodisc CDS 8817 | |
| Albums with Viva la Musica/Cour des Grands/Nouvelle Ecrita (Ecriture): | |||
| Kaka Yo | 2008 | Diego Music | CD & DVD, with Viva la Musica |
| Nkunzi Nlele | 2006 | Sonima SMCD 1692 | With Viva Tendances |
| Liste des Bavards | 2005 | R.I. Bolelo production | Rodgens & Cour des Grands |
| Bazonkion | 2005 | WBE Productions / AM | CD (6 tracks) & DVD, with Nouvelle Ecrita |
| Mwana Molokai: First 20 Years | 2004 | Stern's STCD3019-20 | 2CD, compliation of Viva la Musica songs 1977-1997 |
| Somo Trop | 2003 | Sono CDS 9147 | With Nouvelle Ecrita |
| Nkila Mogroso-Sans Frontières Live | 2003 | Gillette d'Or GO 1011 | Live, with Nouvelle Ecrita |
| Bakala Dia Kuba | 2001 | Sonodisc CDS 8916 | With Nouvelle Ecrita (although presented as a solo album) |
| Hiroshima | 2001 | Afrisong Records | With Nouvelle Ecriture and Cour des Grands |
| A la une | 2001 | Clarys Music/ Rigo Makengo RMP307600 |
With Nouvelle Ecriture |
| Ya Biso Moko | 1999 | KIAMI/G.A. Productions KSI12942 | With Nouvelle Ecriture Also Ngoyarto NG074 (2002) |
| Mwana Matebu | 1999 | Kaluila KL0190 | With Viva Cour des Grands |
| M'zee Fula-Ngenge | 1999 | Sonodisc CDS 8836 | |
| Dans L' | 1998 | Sonodisc CDS 8833 | |
| Nouvelle Ecriture | 1997 | Sonodisc CDX 8828 | |
| Papa Wemba/Koffi/Viva la Musica: 1978/79 |
1997 | Ngoyarto NG 027 | With Viva la Musica |
| La naissance de l'orchestre 1977/78 | 1997 | Ngoyarto NG 026 | With Viva la Musica |
| Pole Position | 1995 | Sonodisc CDS 8815 | |
| Foridoles | 1994 | Sonodisc CD 72424 | |
| Mokili Ngele | 1991 | Dario Production DSK 1 M | |
| Biloko ya Moto | 1990 | NM 46302 | |
| Nouvelle Génération à Paris | 1988 | Esperance CD 8459 | |
| Au Japon | 1988 | Esperance ESP 8450 | |
| Destin Ya Moto | 1988 | Esperance ESP 8449 | |
| Love Kilawu | 1987 | Sonodisc ESP 8438 | |
| Ma bijou | 1986 | Rythmes et Musique REM 560 | |
| L'esclave | 1986 | Gitta Production GIP 004 | |
| 8ième Anniversaire | 1985 | EPP/FDB EPP02 | Released on CD in 1990 |
| Evolution | 1985 | 1312 | With Angolan singers Rive Kono and Pacha |
| Mwana Molokai | 1983 | IADS 006 | |
Sources
Page added February 1998