(CMR) Haitian artist Mikaben (41) suffered a suspected cardiac arrest during a performance on Saturday, which caused him to collapse as he made his way off stage at a concert in Paris. He was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Mikaben, whose real name is Michael Benjamin, was performing at Accor Arena in eastern Paris as a guest of the Haitian group Carimi. Fans at the venue, which holds up to 20,000, were left shaken by the incident.
Several videos posted on social media captured is final performance, a very energetic one to a packed venue.
On Sunday, Haitians paid tribute to the singer as his country try to come to terms with his sudden passing.
Acor Arena announced that Mikaben “died after suffering a seizure on stage and despite the efforts of emergency services.”
Tributes reportedly poured in from across Haiti after his death, with radio stations and venues playing his music on repeat from Saturday night.
“I’m shocked by the sudden death of the young and very talented artist Michael Benjamin ‘Mikaben', We have lost a major figure in Haitian music,” Haitian prime minister, Ariel Henry, wrote on Twitter.
Haiti-born rapper Wyclef Jean, said Mikaben was “one of the most influential and inspirational young artists of our generation.”
Mikaben, son of the famed singer Lionel Benjamin, was born in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in 1981. He was well-known in the local music scene as a singer, writer and producer. He featured in several Carimi hits, including Baby I Missed You and Fanm sa Move.
The artist died leaving his pregnant wife Vanessa.
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