“I would put him in the same bracket as Fela Kuti when it comes to influence on African music,” said BBC 1 xtra’s Destination Africa presenter DJ Edu.

Celebrated Congolese artist Papa Wemba has died on-stage aged 66 after collapsing during a concert in Ivory Coast on Sunday (April 24). The cause of his death has yet to be established.

Congolese Culture Minister Baudouin Banza Mukalay told Associated Press that Wemba’s death is a “great loss for the country and all of Africa,” while the country’s president Joseph Kabila has said there are likely to be large tribute events in the coming days.

Born in 1949, Wemba – whose real name was Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba – began his singing career in religious choirs and went on to modernise Congolese rumba music, with the genre that emerged – soukous – impacting across Africa.

Together with his bands Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, he achieved a number of hits, including ‘L’Esclave’ (1986) and ‘Le Voyageur’ (1992). In the 1990s he went on tour with Peter Gabriel and is featured on Gabriel’s Secret World Live album.

Wemba was also a fashion icon, popularising the elegant ‘Sapeur’ look and style with his aforementioned group Viva La Musica.

In 2003, Wemba spent more than three months in jail after French and Belgian authorities accused him of helping Congolese immigrants illegally obtain visas by pretending they were his touring musicians. He maintained his innocence and later received a suspended sentence.

Wemba appeared in two feature films, 1987’s La Vie est Belle 1997’s and Wild Games.