12th August, 2019
An Ivorian singer, DJ Arafat, with a huge following in Francophone Africa, is dead.
He died after a motor-cycle accident on Sunday night in Abidjan, the state broadcaster RTI said on Monday.
Hundreds of fans gather outside the hospital in Abidjan in disbelief, hurling stones with occasional stampedes.
“Death of artist DJ Arafat… today at 8 am as a result of a road accident overnight,” RTI tweeted.
According to messages and pictures circulating on social media, he had been driving a motorbike and smashed into a car. Critically injured, he was taken to an Abidjan hospital, where he later died.
Born in Abidjan in 1986, DJ Arafat — real name Ange Didier Huon — was avidly followed in French-speaking western and central African countries.
He issued 11 albums, mainly of “coupe-decale” — a dance music form combining choppy rhythms with hip-hop-style vocals.
Ivorian Culture Minister Maurice Kouakou Bandaman expressed his condolences and said a tribute would be organised to honour the musician, AFP reports.