French rapper Werenoi, born Jeremy Bana Owana, has died at the age of 31 after suffering a cardiac arrest just hours before he was due to perform at a showcase in Lyon.
According to Pure Charts, the Montreuil-born artist went into cardio-respiratory arrest on Friday night and was rushed to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, where he was admitted to intensive care. Tragically, he passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Werenoi, a rising star in the French rap scene and of Cameroonian descent, was scheduled to perform at Azar Club in Lyon on May 17 to promote his new album. The showcase was meant to be an exclusive event for fans to hear his latest tracks live for the first time.
Tributes Pour In from the Music World
Though Werenoi’s family and management have yet to release an official statement, tributes have flooded social media from across the French music industry.
Spotify France shared a message on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Werenoi left us last night. In just five years, the Montreuil rapper left a lasting mark on rap and French music as a whole. Our condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Producer Babs posted an emotional message believed to be directed at the late artist:
“Rest in peace my brother. I love you!!!”
The popular rap duo Djadja & Dinaz announced that the release of a new music video would be postponed, adding:
“All our thoughts to Werenoi’s loved ones.”
Radio host Fred Musa also shared his condolences, writing:
“My condolences to his loved ones.”
A Rapid Rise to Stardom
Werenoi’s career had seen a meteoric rise in recent years. He headlined major festivals, including the 40th edition of Francofolies de La Rochelle in 2024, and was awarded Album of the Year at the 2024 Flammes ceremony. At the time, he appeared in a video message instead of attending the event in person, citing a “serious injury” and wearing a cast on his arm.
In 2023, his album Carré was the best-selling record in France, and in 2024 he followed up with Pyramide, both of which cemented his place as one of the country’s top rap talents.
Just weeks before his death, Werenoi’s latest album Diamond Noir reached the top of France’s official charts. On April 18, SNEP (France’s official music ranking organization) celebrated the album hitting #1 with over 53,000 equivalent sales in a single week.
Werenoi had amassed more than 6.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with hit songs such as Scarface, Solitaire, Laboratoire, and Chemin d’or drawing millions of streams.
Final Performance That Never Came
Werenoi’s sudden death occurred just hours before he was set to perform at Lyon’s Azar Club as part of an event dubbed Jackpot. The evening had been advertised as a unique showcase of his newest material in one of Lyon’s most iconic venues.
An event description read:
“Werenoi has just released his new album, and for this first edition of JACKPOT, you’ll be among the very first to experience it live. A unique evening, designed to make an impression.”
Sadly, fans are now left mourning instead of celebrating. Under his final Instagram post — which highlighted the success of Diamond Noir — followers have been flooding the comments with tributes. Messages like “Repose en paix” (“Rest in peace”) reflect the collective grief of fans who watched Werenoi’s incredible rise and anticipated much more to come.
As the French music community reels from the sudden loss, Werenoi’s impact is undeniable. In a career that spanned just five years, he not only broke records but captured the voice of a generation.
His legacy, through his music and his influence, will live on far beyond the stage he never got to take one last time.