Cameroonian music stars who deceased at age 59
Here are 1 famous musicians from Cameroon died at 59:
Louis Brody
Louis Brody (February 15, 1892 Douala-February 11, 1952 Berlin) a.k.a. Lewis Brody, M'bebe Mpessa, Levis Brody, Lovis Brody or Lewis Brody-Upasso was a Cameroonian actor and musician.
He was part of the African American community of artists and musicians in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s, and was known for his performances on stage and in films. Brody appeared in several films in the 1930s, including the French film "L'Hirondelle et la Mesange" and the German film "Polizeiakte 909". He was also a talented musician and played the saxophone and clarinet. During World War II, Brody was imprisoned in a concentration camp in Germany, where he tragically died just before his scheduled release. His legacy as a pioneering African performer in Europe and his tragic end have made him a symbol of the many African artists who faced discrimination and persecution during the war.
Brody was born in Douala, Cameroon, which was then part of German Kamerun. He was the son of a German father and a Cameroonian mother. Brody moved to Germany to study music, and later to Paris where he became part of the vibrant artistic community in Montparnasse. He performed at the famous Le Jockey Club in Paris alongside other notable performers such as Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet.
Brody's performances in Paris attracted the attention of filmmakers, and he began appearing in French and German films. He was often typecast as a "noble savage" or exotic other, but Brody was able to use these roles to subvert stereotypes and articulate his own vision of African identity.
During World War II, Brody was arrested by the Nazis and sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. He was subjected to forced labor and medical experiments, and died from pneumonia just months before the camp was liberated.
Since his death, Brody's story has been rediscovered and he has been recognized as an important figure in African cultural history. The Louis Brody Foundation was established to preserve his legacy and promote the contributions of Africans to world culture.
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