Manu Dibango, born Emmanuel Dibango N'Djocke in 1933 in Douala, Cameroon, is a true African international superstar.
He was a member of the seminal Congolese rumba group African Jazz, and has collaborated with many other musicians, including Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Adé, Don Cherry, and Sly and Robbie. He has recorded 72 albums.
The song "Soul Makossa" on the record of the same name contains the lyrics "makossa", which means "(I) dance" in his native tongue, the Cameroonian language, Duala). It has influenced several popular music hits, including Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", as well as his re-recording of that song with Akon, the Fugees' "Cowboys", and Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music".
He served as the first chairman of the Cameroon Music Corporation, with a high profile in disputes about artists' royalties. Dibango was appointed a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2004.
In July 2014 he made an 80th anniversary concert at Olympia, France which was broadcast by TV5Monde. On the 8 Septembre 2015, Michaёlle Jean, Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, honours Manu Dibango with the title of Grand Témoin de la Francophonie aux Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Rio 2016.
