Papa Wemba, who was known as the "king of Congolese rumba" for helping to bring the highly popular sound to an international audience, was 66.
The flamboyant singer died after performing three songs at the Urban Musical Festival Anoumabo (FEMUA) in Abidjan, the organisers said on their website.
Papa Wemba, who was born in 1949 in what was then Belgian Congo, inherited his love of song from his mother, who was a professional wailing woman at funerals.