SINGER

Papa Wemba

1949 - 2016

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Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba (14 June 1949 – 24 April 2016), known professionally as Papa Wemba (French pronunciation: [papa wɛmba]), was a Congolese singer and musician who played Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo. Dubbed the "King of Rumba Rock", he was one of the most popular musicians of his time in Africa and played an important role in world music. He was also a fashion icon who popularized the Sape look and style through his musical group Viva la Musica, with whom he performed on stages throughout the world. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Papa Wemba is the 616th most popular singer, the 14th most popular biography from Democratic Republic of the Congo (down from 12th in 2019) and the most popular Congolese Singer.

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Among SINGERS

Among singers, Papa Wemba ranks 616 out of 4,381Before him are Richard Tucker, J-Hope, Mísia, Al Green, Julie d'Aubigny, and IU. After him are Camila Cabello, Hayedeh, Jeanette, Anita Mui, Monica Zetterlund, and Keith Flint.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1949, Papa Wemba ranks 225Before him are Tadashi Yanai, Thierry Sabine, José Pékerman, Philip Michael Thomas, Bill Bruford, and Rick Wakeman. After him are Ottavia Piccolo, Lindsey Buckingham, Bernard Farcy, George Dalaras, Efua Dorkenoo, and Lois McMaster Bujold. Among people deceased in 2016, Papa Wemba ranks 186Before him are Rudi Altig, Javier Echevarría Rodríguez, Louis Pilot, Peter Hans Kolvenbach, Elizabeth Roemer, and Hassan Al-Turabi. After him are Zdravko Tolimir, Željko Čajkovski, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, Jadranka Stojaković, and Vanity.

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In Democratic Republic of the Congo

Among people born in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Papa Wemba ranks 14 out of 107Before him are Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (1960), Félix Tshisekedi (1963), Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (1939), Antoine Gizenga (1925), Joseph Kabila (1971), and Étienne Tshisekedi (1932). After him are Simon Kimbangu (1887), Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi (1930), Kembo Uba Kembo (1947), Ota Benga (1883), Sylvestre Ilunga (1947), and Marie Myriam (1957).

Among SINGERS In Democratic Republic of the Congo

Among singers born in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Papa Wemba ranks 1After him are Marie Myriam (1957), Koffi Olomide (1956), Maître Gims (1986), Mohombi (1986), and Tusse (2002).