A prominent African rumba singer and songwriter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pascal-Emmanuel Tabu (13 November 1940 – 30 November 2013), was also known by his stage name Tabu Ley Rochereau. He was the founder of Orchestre Afrisa International and one of Africa’s most famous singers and songwriters. By combining elements of Congolese folk music with Cuban, Caribbean, and Latin American rumba, Tabu Ley, together with guitarist Dr. Nico Kasanda, pioneered soukous (African rumba) and internationalized his music. He has been called “the Congolese personality who, with Mobutu, shaped Africa’s history in the 20th century.”
Is Tabu Ley still alive?
According to his son Marc Tabu, Rochereau, 73, passed away on Saturday at Saint-Luc Hospital in Brussels, Belgium. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rochereau suffered a stroke in 2008 that left him severely crippled and put an end to his performance career.
A list of survivors would be hard to compile. According to a BBC article, Rochereau, who was well-known in his own country for his several marriages and extramarital relationships, had roughly 68 kids.
