Manu Dibango Biography, Age, Height, Death, Wife, Net Worth

The African Jazz legend Manu Dibango died at the age of 86 in France due to global pandemic covid-19. He was born on 12th December, 1933 in Doula, French Cameroon in a Protestant environment. He belonged to the Yabassi ethnic group from his father’s side while Duala ethnicity from his mother’s side. As a student, he discovered jazz for himself in Chartres during the 1950s and learned to play the piano. In Reims, where he was preparing for his baccalaureate, he began to play the saxophone and began to perform in nightclubs, to the great annoyance of his father, who then cut his maintenance in 1956. Manu developed his own style of music by combining jazz with traditional Cameroonian music and the popular Cameroonian dance music Makossa.

Manu Dibango Career

Various contracts led him to Brussels, where he met his future wife Coco, Antwerp and Charleroi. During this time, his jazz style “Africanized” through contact with the Congolese milieu. Joseph Kabasélé hired him for his orchestra African Jazz and recorded numerous records with him, which had great success in Africa and led them to Kinshasa, where Manu popularized the twist in 1962. The return to Cameroon however proved to be difficult and he went to France again. Later in 1972, he released “Soul Makossa” in the USA which was a grand success as it was the first number-one hit by an African musician in the USA at that time.

This prompted him to start touring and then he made numerous contacts with black musicians in the country. Inspired by African tribal music and in contrast to it by European church sounds, animated by American jazz and soul, he succeeded with the album in the opinion of the London magazine City Limitsa “smooth, effective dance club music with grippy saxophone embellishment”. He merged the traditional rhythms of Cameroon, Nigerian high-life pop, Congolese folk, Latin American cha-cha-cha and funk, reggae, hip-hop and bebop jazz sound.

Manu Dibango Cause of Death:

The Cameroonian singer and saxophonist died on Tuesday, aged 86, at a hospital in the French region adjacent to Paris. The artist had communicated his admission by COVID-19 last week and had expressed his desire to be able to meet with his public as soon as possible. His family and friends have indicated in the statement that the funeral will be done intimately and discreetly, due to the health emergency that is ravaging the planet.

Manu Dibango Biography

Real Name Emmanuel N’Djoké Dibango
Birth Date December 12, 1933
Aged 86 Years
died March 24, 2020
Birth Place Douala, French Cameroon
Nationality Cameroonian
Profession Musician
Religion Indigenous African
Sun sign Sagittarius

Manu Dibango Height, Weight and Body Measurement

Height in feet inches – 6’ 3” – in centimeters – 192 cm  Approx
Weight in Kilograms – 96 kg  –  in Pounds –  211.6lbs Approx
Chest Size 44 Inches
Waist Size 34 Inches
Biceps Size 16 Inches
Shoe Size 11 (US)
Hair Color bald
Eye Color Black
Body Type Average
Sexual Orientation Straight

Qualification/Education

School Village School
College Not Known

Family

Father Michel Manfred N’Djoké Dibango
Mother Not Known
Sister Not Known
Brother Not Known

Manu Dibango Affairs (Relationship Status)

What was Manu Dibango marital status? (single, engaged, married, in relation or divorce) Married
How many children did Manu Dibango have? Three (Georgia Dibango, Marva Dibango, Michel Dibango)
Who was Manu Dibango Wife? Not Known

Manu Dibango Net Worth:

He was considered as the all time greatest African musicians and the legend whose contribution can’t be described in the words. His exact fortune and net worth figures are stand out around $100 million and most of worth came from musical career and other sources. Apart from music, he had invested money in stocks and property holdings and other endorsement deals. Moreover he established brands for food, fashion and lifestyle products as well.

Trivia: Important Facts about Manu Dibango

  • He was born and raised Doula, Cameroon whereas died in Paris, France.
  • Manu was also known under the nickname “Papy Groove”.
  • He had engagements with Dick Rivers and Nino Ferrer, big names of that time, but it was only after 1969 that he was able to continue his African success by recording his own compositions.
  • Dibango had filled lawsuit against two legends, Michael Jackson and Rihanna for plagiarizing his successful song, Soul Makossa.
  • In 2013 he presented his memories under the title Balade en saxo dans les coulisses de ma vie.
  • He owned his own vodka brand called “Pure Wonderdibango”.
  • Manu received the Africa Festival Award from the Africa Festival Würzburg for his musical life’s work in 2006.
  • He was named by UNESCO as an “artist for peace” in 2004 for his intensive work and interests of the African continent.

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