Tragic Death of French Rapper Werenoi
The French rapper Verena passed away on the 31st, just hours before a concert that was scheduled to take place in Lyon, France.
Reaction from Friends and the Music Community
Moving Diagrams in France Werenoi-as-standing named Geri Ban Velov-Ummer, was hospitalized Saturday morning (May 17). Tonight, a concert is planned at the Azar Club.
Babs, a friend and colleague of Velona, shared a heartfelt message on Twitter earlier today in French: “Rest in peace, my brother, I love you!!!”. Azar Club also conveyed the news on their Instagram account.
“It was with great sadness that we learned about the passing of a unique artist, a defining voice of his generation, whom we were to host tonight at Azar Club,” the club expressed in French. “We remember the talent, strength, and authenticity of an artist who left an indelible mark on his era.”
Peace in Paix Mon frère je t’aime!!!
-Babs -plr music (@plrmusic) May 17, 2025
Owona released four albums under the name Werenoi, with the last being Diamant Noir, released just last month (April 11). The rapper had over six million monthly listeners on Spotify. With Diamant Noir, he marked his first – and unfortunately, only – album, which debuted at number one on the French charts, trailing only behind Diagrams in France.
Owona was also set to perform at Les Flammes 2025 this week, an award ceremony dedicated to French rap and hip-hop.
However, he sent a video message for Les Flammes, where he apologized for his absence, showing the camera his right hand in a medical sling due to an injury. It remains unconfirmed whether this injury was related to his sudden death earlier today.
French pop singer Paskal Obispo paid tribute to Owona in an interview with Le Parisien. Obispo had collaborated with Owona on the hit single from Camin d’Oor at Zénith Paris in 2023.
They first met through Obispo’s son. “My son is very sad, but it hurts me,” he shared with Le Parisien. “31 years old. He was a good guy, very talented, who had so many things ahead of him. Rest in peace, and my condolences to his family and friends.”
Obispo described Owona as “a true good guy” and “somewhat shy,” also revealing that they had been discussing potential collaborations since 2023.
“We were supposed to continue this adventure and do other things together,” Obispo reflected. “I was getting ready for the fact that he was full of sounds with a beatmaker. He will remain in our memories.”
Little is known about Owona’s origins, except that he was born in the French commune of Melun on January 30, 1994.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/french-rapper-werenoi-dies-hours-before-concert-aged-31-3863169?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=french-rapper-werenoi-dies-hours-before-concert-aged-31
