Jérémy Bana Owona, alias Werenoi, died on Saturday May 17, 2025 at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital (Paris 13th), aged 31. According to the information provided by his family, the cause of death was a heart failure.
However, the celebrity magazine Public claims that the artist has succumbed to a series of metabolic complications diabetes.
Read on to discover the different versions circulating around the death of this renowned French artist.
What do we know about the cause of Werenoi's death?
Before his death, many rumours about Werenoi's state of health (real name Jérémy Bana Owona) have been circulating:
- A number of people on social networks mentioned that Werenoi was in a coma following an accident. breathing problem.
- The blogger Aqababe (quite close to the rapper's family) also mentioned this several hours before the announcement of the artist's death.
- The rapper's family, however, has never nothing confirmed.
In addition :
- According to Public magazine, Werenoi's death was the result of a series of complications following a serious illness. diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a serious complication of diabetes where the body produces too many acids when it lacks insulin.
- After his diabetic crisis, Werenoi would have been the victim of a hyperkalemia or excess potassium in the blood. This is often benign, but the complications can be fatal. According to Public magazine, this led to the coma mentioned above.
- Complications such as defibrillation syndrome (also known as DIC, a serious coagulation disorder), which leads to the multiplication of small blood clots, and anemia have also been reported in Werenoi.
A rumor of overdose has also been circulating on forums, with some Internet users wrongly associating hyperkalemia with substance abuse.
No source close to the rapper has confirmed this.. Medically, the diabetic ketoacidosis evoked by Public can explain the hyperglycemia → hyperkalemia → cardiac arrest cascade on its own, without the need to invoke an external substance.
Despite this information, the rapper's family has confirmed that the cause of death was a "heart failure. His family remained silent about the deterioration in his health and the rumours of his coma.
Who was Werenoi?
Jérémy Bana Owona, alias Werenoi, was born on January 30, 1994 in Melun, originally from Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis). The son of Cameroonian parents, he grew up in a working-class neighborhood before making his mark in a highly competitive environment.
In just a few years, it has become one of France's most-listened-to rappers, finishing as best-selling artist in 2023 and 2024. A rare feat in French rap.
He was also awarded at Flammes 2023 in the Male Revelation category. His discography reflects a steady progression: Carré, then Pyramide, Pyramide 2 and finally Diamant noir, his four albums that each marked their own era. He was undoubtedly one of best French rappers of his generation.
Despite this massive success, Werenoi remained known for his great discretion, He gave very few interviews, letting his music do the talking for him.
This self-assumed sobriety contrasted with the usual media exposure of artists of his calibre.
French rap tributes
As soon as his death was announced, tributes poured in from all quarters.
His producer Babs posted a simple message on X: “Repose en paix mon frère.” Pascal Obispo also reacted publicly, testifying to an attachment that went beyond the boundaries of rap.
On the French rap, SCH, Gims, Aya Nakamura, Damso, Ninho, Rohff, Hamza and Maes all paid tribute to him on their respective networks.
International, American Gunna and Nigerian Burna Boy also took the floor.
In the political world, Rachida Dati and the mayor of Montreuil expressed their sadness, underlining the artist's strong local roots despite his national influence.
The Skyrock radio also paid tribute by broadcasting his tracks, a gesture that didn't go down too well with everyone - we'll explain why right after.
Why have some fans asked to stop listening to his music?
In the days following Werenoi's death, some of his Muslim fans called on social networks for stop listening to your music, or even remove it from platforms.
The argument: in certain readings of Islam, music is considered haram, and continue to listen to his songs after his death would add sins to the deceased in his grave.
Other fans defended the opposite position: to listen to Werenoi after his death is to pay tribute to him and keep his memory alive.
The two positions coexisted on social networks, with neither really winning the day.
In this context, several Werenoi clips have been temporarily hidden or removed from YouTube, without any official explanation.
The Skyrock controversy is part of this same debate: the radio station, by massively broadcasting its tribute tracks, was criticized by part of the Muslim community, who felt that this went against the respect due to the deceased.
False cagnottes: warnings from the producer of Werenoi
Several kitty in reference to Werenoi have recently been created and circulating on social networks. The family of the deceased, however, has not put anything in place and has warned fans about this.
the creator of the PLR Music label also mentioned on his Instagram Story that these pools come from ill-intentioned people who will do anything to get a few euros. He also said that Werenoi's entourage will deal with them in due course.
Remember that Werenoi was one of the best french rappers of his generation, and his success has surely attracted the attention of both good and bad people.
In this case, one of the bogus pools that had already raised 14,000 euros was presented as a fund to build a well in Africa in the name of Werenoi.
The person behind this maneuver removed the post and apologized on TikTok mentioning that he had good intentions in offering a Sadaqa Jariya to Werenoi. The latter is an act of charity used even after the death of someone in the Muslim religion.
FAQs
What's Werenoi's real name?
His real name is Jérémy Bana Owona.
How old was Werenoi when he died?
He had 31 years old, born January 30, 1994.
When and where did Werenoi die?
He died on May 17, 2025 at Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
What was the official cause of death?
His family sent a heart failure as the cause of death, although several sources mention diabetes-related metabolic complications.
What was the last Werenoi album?
His latest album is Black Diamond, the fourth studio album in a discography that also includes Carré, Pyramide and Pyramide 2.
Where is Werenoi buried?
Werenoi was buried in the new Montreuil cemetery on May 20, 2025, in the presence of some 800 people who had come to pay their last respects.
Why were we asked to stop listening to Werenoi's music?
Some of his Muslim fans called on him to stop listening to his music. In certain readings of Islam, music is haram, and continue to listen to him after his death would add sins to the deceased in his grave. Others saw it, on the contrary, as a legitimate tribute.
In conclusion :
To this day, many people are still trying to find out true causes of Werenoi's death. His family did not give any precise details, and it remains difficult to get to the bottom of what really happened, between the version of heart failure and that of diabetes-related complications.
Whatever the case, his music will remain engraved in the memory of his audience and leave a lasting mark on the world of music. hexagonal rap.
Feel free to leave a comment if you wish to express your opinion on the death of Werenoi or if you have any questions.
Discover also how the singer Nepal died à travers un autre article sur notre site.
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