Manu Dibango was a Cameroonian songwriter and musician who played the saxophone and vibraphone. Manu Dibango was a musical style that incorporated jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music.

How much is the net worth of Manu Dibango?

He was one of the greatest African musicians of all time and a legend whose contribution cannot be described in words. His exact fortune and net worth are estimated to be in the $100 million range.

However, the majority of his wealth came from his musical career and other sources. Aside from music, he had spent money on stocks, real estate, and other endorsement deals. He also established brands for food, fashion, and lifestyle products.

Childhood of Manu Dibango

On December 12, 1933, Manu Dibango was born as Emmanuel Dibango N’Djocke in Douala, Cameroon. However, he died of COVID-19 at the age of 86. (24 March 2020). His father is civil servant Michel Manfred N’Djoké Dibango. Her mother was a fashion designer who owned a small business.

Furthermore, he lacked siblings, though he did have a stepbrother from his father’s previous marriage. In Cameroon, one’s ethnicity is determined by one’s father, though Dibango wrote in his autobiography, Three Kilos of Coffee, that he “never felt completely at home with either of [his] parents.”

Dibango gradually forgot the Yabassi language in favor of the Duala during his childhood. His family did, however, live in the Yabassi encampment on the Yabassi plateau. Dibango went to Protestant church every night for religious education, also known as nkouaida.

Dibango attended a colonial school near his home after finishing his education at his village school. He admired his teacher, whom he called “an extraordinary draftsman and painter.”

When French President Charles de Gaulle arrived in Cameroon in 1944, he chose this school to perform the welcoming ceremonies. Dibango relocated to France to pursue a musical education. He began taking piano lessons.

Did he pass away catching CoronaVirus?

According to a message posted on his official Facebook page on Tuesday in French, jazz legend Manu Dibango died in Paris at the age of 86 after contracting coronavirus in a Parisian hospital.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, on March 24, 2020, at the age of 86, according to covid 19.”

Furthermore, his funeral services were held in strict privacy, followed by a tribute when possible, according to Tuesday’s announcement. Funerals in France are limited to 20 people, who are the deceased’s closest circle. It is due to the country’s lockdown in an attempt to control the spread of COVID.

He was a forefather of Afro-jazz. He also combined funk and traditional Cameroonian music. Furthermore, Manu was well-known under the moniker “Papy Groove.”

Manu Dibango’s Professional Career

Manu began classical piano lessons at the age of 17, and saxophone lessons a few years later after being inspired by the music of Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and other jazz artists. He joined a jazz band with noted Cameroonian guitarist and composer Francis Bebey and quickly established himself on the local jazz circuit.

Dibango moved to Brussels in 1956, where he not only learned to play the vibraphone but also broadened his stylistic vocabulary to include various West African forms, most notably makossa, a Douala-based Cameroonian genre. He started to realize his dream of creating a new musical sound by fusing jazz and African popular traditions.

In 1960, Manu toured Europe with African Jazz, a band led by Congolese musician Joseph Kabasele who shared Dibango’s interest in musical fusion. After the tour, he traveled with Kabasele to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he stayed with the band until 1963, when he returned to Cameroon. There, he formed his own band and continued to learn about African regional styles.

When I returned to Paris,

Manu returned to Paris in 1965 to work as a studio musician, backing many African American and African artists at a time when Europe was riding the wave of soul music. He continued to experiment with new jazz fusions.

And various popular music, particularly from Africa and the African diaspora. In 1972, he included one such experiment on the B-side of a single when he released a song commissioned to write for an African Cup of Nations football (soccer) match.

Furthermore, that agreement was “Soul Makossa,” a fusion of jazz, makossa, and soul music that proved to be a watershed moment in his career. Though Europeans were aware of it, North America was unaware of both “Soul Makossa” and Dibango himself until the song was discovered and broadcast by a radio disc jockey in New York City in 1973.

‘Soul Makossa’ swept the United States, catapulting Dibango into the spotlight of popular music. Michael Jackson popularized it with the phrase “ma-ma say, ma-ma sa, ma ma-coo-sa” at the end of his 1982 album “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”

Manu traveled around the world, absorbing new sounds and working on projects with musicians from a variety of Afro-Caribbean, African, and African American popular music genres. In 1973, he toured internationally with the American salsa band the Fania All-Stars. After many years, he recorded two albums, Gone Clear (1980) and Ambassador (1980), with a slew of Jamaica’s most prominent reggae artists.

Other accomplishments

In the meantime, he released the Africa-themed albums Home Made (1978), which featured Nigerian and Ghanaian musicians, and Waka Juju (1979). (1982). It drew on elements from a variety of African popular styles.

In addition, following the release of the funk-flavored Surtension (1982), Dibango collaborated with an international lineup of jazz luminaries, including American pianist Herbie Hancock in Electric Africa (1985) and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela in Afrijazzy (1986). (1986).

His jazz fusions of the 1990s and 2000s continued to draw from a wide range of popular music. Polysonik (1991) twisted rap, jazz, and many African traditions, while Wakafrika (1994) brought together African vocal virtuosos Youssou N’Dour (Senegal) and King Sunny Ade (Nigeria).

Other notable musicians include Salif Keita (Mali), Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Ray Lema (Congo), and the group Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa), among others. On the album Lamastabastani, Manu returned to his spiritual roots with a mix of gospel music, spirituals, and rhythm and blues (1995).

More information on his albums

Manu’s early-twentieth-century albums tended to be retrospective. Africadeli, for example, is a collection of his best songs. He put it out to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the “Soul Makossa” explosion. In 2007, he released Manu Dibango joue Sidney Bechet, an all-jazz tribute to American saxophonist Sidney Bechet. Dibango’s musical development had been shaped by the music.

Manu also composed music for film and television. In 1990, he co-wrote and published his autobiography, Three Kilos of Coffee, with Danielle Rouard. Considering a deep and ongoing concern for humanity’s well-being. And he frequently used his music and influence to raise funds for various humanitarian causes.

In 2004, UNESCO named him the Peace Artist of the Year in recognition of his contributions to the development of music as well as his promotion of cross-cultural dialogue through the arts, particularly between Europe, Africa, and North America.

In 2009, the Douala-born songwriter sued both Jackson and Rihanna for using the Soul Makossa hook without permission. It is claimed that when Rihanna asked Jackson to use the hook in Don’t Stop The Music, Jackson agreed without consulting Dibango.

What is the relationship status of Manu Dibango?

To date, there are no details about his dating history. He has never revealed anything about his personal life to the public. According to some sources, he had three children: Georgia Dibango, Marva Dibango, and Michel Dibango. His wife’s name, on the other hand, is unknown. Similarly, Manu has not been involved in any rumors of an affair or other controversies.

Achievements and Awards of Manu Dibango

Manu also received the Africa Festival Award from the Africa Festival Würzburg in 2006 for his musical life’s work. In 2013, he presented his memories as Balade en Saxo Dans Les Coulisses de Ma Vie. In 2004, UNESCO named him a “artist for peace” for his extensive work and dedication to the African continent.

Body Measurement, Height, and Weight of Manu Dibango

Manu had a wonderful personality. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 96 kilograms. His chest-waist-biceps measurements were 44-34-16 inches. Furthermore, his shoe size was 11. (US). He was bald, and his eyes were dark brown.

Social media of Manu Dibango

Manu must have previously been active on various social media platforms. However, because he has since died, we were unable to locate any of his social media accounts. However, he appears to be active on Twitter, where he has over 1K followers under the handle ‘@ManuDibango.’ He was also active on Facebook, where he had over 60K followers.

Facts about Manu Dibango

• Manu began classical piano lessons when he was 17, and saxophone lessons a few years later after being inspired by the music of Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and other jazz artists. He quickly rose to prominence on the local jazz scene after forming a jazz band with noted Cameroonian guitarist and composer Francis Bebey.
• In 1956, Dibango moved to Brussels, where he not only learned to play the vibraphone but also expanded his stylistic vocabulary to include various West African forms, most notably makossa, a Douala-based Cameroonian genre.
• He began to realize his dream of combining jazz and African popular traditions to create a new musical sound.
• Manu toured Europe in 1960 with African Jazz, a group led by Congolese musician Joseph Kabasele, who shared Dibango’s interest in musical fusion.
• Following the tour, he accompanied Kabasele to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he remained until 1963, when he returned to Cameroon. There, he formed his own band and continued to study African regional styles.
• Manu returned to Paris in 1965 to work as a studio musician, backing many African American and African artists during a period when Europe was riding the wave of soul music. He continued to experiment with new jazz hybrids. In addition, there is a diverse range of popular music, particularly from Africa and the African diaspora.
• When he released a song commissioned to write for the African Cup of Nations football (soccer) match in 1972, he included one such experiment on the B-side of a single.
• Furthermore, that agreement resulted in “Soul Makossa,” a fusion of jazz, makossa, and soul music, which became a watershed moment in his career. Though Europeans were aware of it, North America was unaware of both “Soul Makossa” and Dibango until the song was discovered and broadcast by a New York City radio disc jockey in 1973.
• ‘Soul Makossa’ stormed the charts in the United States, propelling Dibango to the forefront of popular music. Michael Jackson popularized it at the end of his 1982 album “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” with the refrain “ma-ma say, ma-ma sa, ma ma-coo-sa.”
• Manu traveled the world, picking up new sounds and collaborating on projects with musicians from various Afro-Caribbean, African, and African American popular music genres. He toured internationally with the Fania All-Stars, an American salsa band, in 1973.
• After many years, he recorded two albums with a slew of Jamaica’s most prominent reggae musicians, Gone Clear (1980) and Ambassador (1980).
• Meanwhile, he released the Africa-themed albums Home Made (1978), featuring Nigerian and Ghanaian musicians, and Waka Juju (1979). (1979). (1982). It drew inspiration from a number of popular African styles.
• Following the release of the funk-tinged Surtension (1982), Dibango collaborated with an international lineup of jazz luminaries, including American pianist Herbie Hancock in Electric Africa (1985) and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela in Afrijazzy (1986). (1986). (1986).
• His jazz fusions drew from a wide range of popular music in the 1990s and 2000s. Wakafrika (1994) brought together African vocal virtuosos Youssou N’Dour (Senegal) and King Sunny Ade (Ivory Coast) (Nigeria).
• Salif Keita (Mali), Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Ray Lema (Congo), and Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa) are among the others. Manu returned to his spiritual roots on the album Lamastabastani, which featured a blend of gospel music, spirituals, and rhythm and blues (1995).
• Manu’s albums from the early twentieth century were mostly retrospective. For example, Africadeli is a collection of his most popular songs. He released it to mark the 30th anniversary of the “Soul Makossa” explosion.
• Manu Dibango joue Sidney Bechet, an all-jazz tribute to saxophonist Sidney Bechet, was released in 2007. Dibango’s musical development had been influenced by his musical exposure.
• Manu has also composed music for films and TV shows. He and Danielle Rouard co-wrote the autobiography Three Kilos of Coffee in 1990. Considering a strong and ongoing concern for humanity’s well-being. In addition, he frequently used his music and celebrity to raise funds for a variety of humanitarian causes.
• In 2004, UNESCO named him the Peace Artist of the Year in recognition of his contributions to musical development and promotion of cross-cultural dialogue through the arts, particularly between Europe, Africa, and North America.
• In 2009, the Douala-born songwriter sued Jackson and Rihanna for unauthorized use of the Soul Makossa hook. According to reports, when Rihanna requested that Jackson use the hook from Don’t Stop The Music, Jackson agreed without consulting Dibango.

Quick facts:

You may also like: Marissa Nadler, Mike Shay