Manu Dibango
12 December 1933 – 24 March 2020
Manu Dibango (1933–2020) was a Cameroonian saxophonist, vibraphonist and bandleader who fused African rhythms with jazz and funk. His 1972 single "Soul Makossa" became an international hit and an early influence on disco and hip-hop, and he spent most of his career based in France, where he died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lived at the same time
Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Manu Dibango.
- Adonis (1930–present) Overlapped 87 years →
- Alice Munro (1931–2024) Overlapped 87 years →
- Asha Bhosle (1933–2026) Overlapped 87 years →
- Athol Fugard (1932–2025) Overlapped 87 years →
- Buzz Aldrin (1930–present) Overlapped 87 years →
- Chen-Ning Yang (1922–2025) Overlapped 87 years →
Life events
Born Emmanuel N'Djoké Dibango to a Yabassi father and a Duala mother in the port city of Douala.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMoved to France at the age of 15, where he studied and took up the piano and later the saxophone.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWhile based in Brussels, joined the Congolese rumba band African Jazz and recorded with them in Africa and Europe.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgOriginally the B-side of a single for the Africa Cup of Nations, the track became a worldwide hit after New York DJs picked it up.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe single reached the American charts and earned a Grammy nomination, bringing him international recognition.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRecognised by UNESCO for his contribution to promoting cultural understanding through music.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSued Michael Jackson and Rihanna in a French court over the use of the song's hook in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Don't Stop the Music".
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDied from COVID-19 at the age of 86, one of the first internationally known musicians to die during the pandemic.
Source: en.wikipedia.org