Manu Dibango

Saxophonist

Manu Dibango was born in Douala, Littoral, Cameroon on December 12th, 1933 and is the Saxophonist. At the age of 86, Manu Dibango biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.

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Date of Birth
December 12, 1933
Nationality
Cameroon
Place of Birth
Douala, Littoral, Cameroon
Death Date
Mar 24, 2020 (age 86)
Zodiac Sign
Sagittarius
Profession
Composer, Saxophonist, Singer
Manu Dibango Height, Weight, Eye Color and Hair Color

At 86 years old, Manu Dibango physical status not available right now. We will update Manu Dibango's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

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Weight
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Manu Dibango Religion, Education, and Hobbies
Religion
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Hobbies
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Education
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Manu Dibango Spouse(s), Children, Affair, Parents, and Family
Spouse(s)
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Children
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Dating / Affair
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Parents
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Manu Dibango Career

He was a member of the seminal Congolese rumba group African Jazz and has collaborated with many other musicians, including Fania All Stars, Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Adé, Don Cherry, and Sly and Robbie. He achieved a considerable following in the UK with a disco hit called "Big Blow", originally released in 1976 and re-mixed as a 12″ single in 1978 on Island Records. In 1998, he recorded the album CubAfrica with Cuban artist Eliades Ochoa. At the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974, he was nominated in the categories Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Instrumental Composition for "Soul Makossa".

The lyrics of the song "Soul Makossa" on the record of the same name contain the word "makossa", which refers to a style of Cameroonian urban music and means "(I) dance" in Dibango's native tongue, the Cameroonian language Duala. The song has influenced popular music hits, including Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie".

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.

His song "Reggae Makossa" is featured on the soundtrack to the 2006 video game Scarface: The World Is Yours. In August 2009, he played the closing concert at the revived Brecon Jazz Festival.

In 1982, Michael Jackson used the "Ma ma-se, ma ma-sa, ma ma-kossa" hook from Dibango's 1972 single "Soul Makossa" without his permission and without credit for the song "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" from his superhit 1982 album Thriller. When Dibango found out he considered suing the megastar, but Jackson was quick to admit that he borrowed the line and the matter was settled out of court.

In 2007, Rihanna sampled the same hook from Jackson's song for her track "Don't Stop the Music" and did not credit Dibango. When Rihanna had asked Jackson for permission to sample the line, he allegedly approved the request without contacting Dibango beforehand. In 2009, Dibango sued both singers. Dibango's attorneys brought the case before a court in Paris, demanding €500,000 in damages and asking for Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music to be "barred from receiving 'mama-se mama-sa'-related income until the matter is resolved". The judge ruled that Dibango's claim was inadmissible: a year earlier, a different Paris-area judge had required Universal Music to include Dibango's name in the liner notes of future French releases of "Don't Stop the Music", and, at the time of this earlier court appearance, Dibango had withdrawn legal action, thereby waiving his right to seek further damages.

In July 2014, he performed an 80th-anniversary concert in Olympia, France, which was broadcast by TV5Monde.

On 8 September 2015, Michaëlle Jean, Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, honoured Manu Dibango with the title of Grand Témoin de la Francophonie aux Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Rio 2016.

On 24 March 2020, Dibango died from COVID-19 in Melun near Paris.

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