SINGER

Papa Wemba

1949 - 2016

Photo of Papa Wemba

Icon of person Papa Wemba

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. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Papa Wemba has received more than 808,231 page views. His biography is available in 29 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 26 in 2019). Papa Wemba is the 615th most popular singer (up from 727th in 2019), the 12th most popular biography from Democratic Republic of the Congo (up from 13th in 2019) and the most popular Congolese Singer.

Memorability Metrics

  • 810k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 54.03

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 29

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 4.10

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 2.97

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among SINGERS

Among singers, Papa Wemba ranks 615 out of 4,381. Before him are Michel Berger, Haris Alexiou, Davorin Popović, Jorge Ben, Monica Zetterlund, and Ice Cube. After him are Wilson Pickett, Patti Page, Pink, Patty Pravo, Pharrell Williams, and Riccardo Fogli.

Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1949, Papa Wemba ranks 201. Before him are Brent Spiner, Lois McMaster Bujold, George Dalaras, Rakesh Sharma, Paulo Cézar Caju, and Judith Resnik. After him are Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Roger Deakins, Ric Ocasek, Francis Rossi, Michel Djotodia, and Philip Michael Thomas. Among people deceased in 2016, Papa Wemba ranks 164. Before him are Peter Shaffer, Ilse Aichinger, Bill Nunn, Artur Fischer, Frano Selak, and Jadranka Stojaković. After him are Mark Taimanov, Franciszek Macharski, Pierre Barouh, Qahhor Mahkamov, Silvio Gazzaniga, and Scotty Moore.

Others Born in 1949

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Others Deceased in 2016

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In Democratic Republic of the Congo

Among people born in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Papa Wemba ranks 12 out of 107. Before him are Félix Tshisekedi (1963), Antoine Gizenga (1925), Joseph Kabila (1971), Claude Makélélé (1973), Étienne Tshisekedi (1932), and Simon Kimbangu (1887). After him are Ota Benga (1883), Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (1939), Ndaye Mulamba (1948), Kembo Uba Kembo (1947), Steve Mandanda (1985), and Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi (1930).

Others born in Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Among SINGERS In Democratic Republic of the Congo

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

Congolese born Singers

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