Hundreds of fans gathered on Tuesday to pay their final respects to French rapper and singer Werenoi, who was laid to rest in Montreuil, a suburb in the Seine-Saint-Denis district northeast of Paris.
The 31-year-old artist, whose real name was Jeremy Bana Owona, died over the weekend, as confirmed by his producer in a post on X.
The cause of his death has not been made public.
Born to Cameroonian parents in a Paris suburb, Werenoi had emerged as France’s top-selling artist in album sales over the past two years.
His popularity was rooted in his ability to portray the realities of urban life, resonating deeply with fans from similar backgrounds.
Standing in front of the green gates of the municipal cemetery, 25-year-old Nicolas reflected on the significance of Werenoi’s final resting place.
“It’s great that he’s buried here, in his neighbourhood,” he said. “It really touched me that an artist born here, originating from Cameroon like me, won so much hype. I loved how he layered his words with instrumental music.”
Tight security surrounded the funeral service. Guards enforced a strict no-phone policy as approximately 800 mourners attended, following prayers at a crowded local mosque.
Werenoi maintained a low profile throughout his career, rarely engaging with traditional media, despite his massive following among French youth. His discreet demeanor and use of sunglasses to shield his eyes added to his enigmatic presence.
“People identified with him because he was credible, it wasn’t a false image,” said Moussa, 33. “He grew up on the streets here.”
Shortly after the announcement of his death, all of Werenoi’s music videos were removed from YouTube. However, his audio tracks, including his final duet “Piano” with rapper Gims, remain available on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Deezer.
