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<h6 class="spaced spaced-xl spaced-top spaced-bottom"><span style="color: #423434;"><strong>Mourners in the Ivorian capital Abidjan open coffin of African musician DJ Arafat, undress his corpse</strong></span></h6>
<h6 class="spaced spaced-xl spaced-top spaced-bottom"><span style="color: #423434;"><strong>Ange Didier Houon, aka DJ Arafat, died in an Aug. 12 motorcycle accident</strong></span></h6>
<h6 class="spaced spaced-xl spaced-top spaced-bottom"><span style="color: #423434;"><strong> His chopper reportedly collided with a car the day before he died </strong></span></h6>
<h6 class="spaced spaced-xl spaced-top spaced-bottom"><span style="color: #423434;"><strong>He was admitted to a hospital in the Ivorian capital Abidjan for a skull fracture before expiring </strong></span></h6>
<h6 class="spaced spaced-xl spaced-top spaced-bottom"><span style="color: #423434;"><strong>Video from Saturday appears to show fans prying open DJ Arafat’s casket in Abidjan, undressing the deceased musician’s remains to check for distinctive tattoos</strong></span></h6>
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<h6 class="byline-wrapper"><span style="color: var(--color-text);"><img class="alignnone wp-image-327943" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/DJ-Arafat-1.jpg" alt="DJ Arafat 1" width="782" height="440" /><strong>Ange Didier Houon, better known by his stage name, DJ Arafat, was named artist of the year at the Coupé-Decalé Awards in 2016 and 2017. He died a day after a motorcycle crash on Aug 12</strong></span></h6>
<div> <span style="color: var(--color-text);">Mourners in the west African nation of the Ivory Coast forced open a coffin of beloved musician DJ Arafat and began stripping his corpse in an attempt to positively identify his body.</span></div>
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<p><span style="color: var(--color-text);">The 33-year-old deejay, born Ange Didier Houon, died in an Aug. 12 motorcycle accident. His chopper reportedly collided with a car the day before he died. He was admitted to a hospital in Abidjan for a skull fracture before expiring.</span></p>
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<p>Alarming video from Saturday appears to show fans prying open DJ Arafat’s casket in Abidjan and undressing the deceased musician’s remains to check for distinctive tattoos.</p>
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<h6 class="byline-wrapper"><span style="color: var(--color-text);"><strong><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-327942" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Funeral-for-DJ-Arafat-1.jpg" alt="Funeral for DJ Arafat 1" width="800" height="533" />A police convoy escorts the coffin of late Ivorian singer DJ Arafat in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Saturday. </strong></span></h6>
<h6><img class="alignnone wp-image-327946" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/DJ-Arafat-4.jpeg" alt="DJ Arafat 4" width="1056" height="703" /><strong>At an overnight funeral concert tens of thousands paid tribute to popular Ivorian music star DJ Arafat</strong></h6>
<div>Fans of DJ Arafat opened his coffin Saturday to take photos of the corpse, prompting police to fire teargas after an overnight funeral concert where tens of thousands paid tribute to the one of West Africa&#8217;s most popular stars.<br />
Throughout the night, A-list African stars such as Davido, Sidiki Diabate, Fally Ipupa and Serge Beynaud had sung in memory of DJ Arafat, who died aged 33 on August 12 after a motorbike crash in Abidjan.<br />
Following hours of musical homage, tears, and solemn reminiscence at Abijan&#8217;s main stadium, events took a dark turn as fans battled police preventing them from entering the cemetery where the singer&#8217;s family gave him a private burial.<br />
But several did make into the Williamsville cemetery in Abidjan&#8217;s working-class Adjame district, forced open the fresh grave and coffin, and took photos and videos that they shared on social media.<br />
Police fired teargas to disperse the grave profaners, and several people were injured in the stampede.<br />
&#8220;We wanted to see the body of our idol before the tomb was sealed,&#8221; said one fan.</p>
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<h6><img class="alignnone wp-image-327944" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Funeral-for-DJ-Arafat-2.jpg" alt="Funeral for DJ Arafat 2" width="713" height="401" />After thousands gathered at a stadium funeral concert for DJ Arafat on Saturday, chaotic scenes broke out when some fans opened the fresh grave and coffin to take photos</h6>
<h6><img class="alignnone wp-image-327945" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Funeral-for-DJ-Arafat-3.jpg" alt="Funeral for DJ Arafat 3" width="1111" height="625" /><strong>Policemen stood guard at the entrance of the Williamsville cemetery in Abidjan during the funeral on Saturday</strong></h6>
<p>The frightening scene came just hours after thousands of well-wishers gathered to pay tribute to the master of coupé-décalé, a popular form of dance music on the continent.</p>
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<p>Friday night, a massive stadium concert was held in DJ Arafat’s honor before his Saturday funeral.</p>
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<p>In an attempt to regain order, police lobbed tear gas in to disperse unruly mourners at a private family ceremony, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49537077" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC News</a>.</p>
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<p class="stop-here" data-role="intersectionobserver">“We wanted to see the body of our idol before the tomb was sealed,” one unidentified mourner told <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190831-ivory-coast-bids-singer-dj-arafat-farewell-fans-open-his-coffin" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Agence France-Presse</a>.</p>
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<p>DJ Arafat was one of Africa’s most adored musicians and was dubbed the King of Coupé-Décalé. He symbolized the flashy, chic lifestyle associated with the genre, which consists of hip-hop, quick percussion and deep bass.</p>
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<p>Before his death, the musician stood accused of domestic abuse.</p>
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<p>On Saturday morning, before the private burial, DJ Arafat&#8217;s casket was placed at the center of the 35,000-capacity Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, drawing wild applause before the mood turned somber and many burst into tears.<br />
The singer, born Ange Didier Houon 33 years ago, was one of the Francophone world&#8217;s most popular African musicians, considered the &#8220;king&#8221; of coupe-decale (cut and run) &#8212; an Ivorian form of dance music.<br />
<span style="color: var(--color-text);">News of his death led to scenes of hysteria among fans and Twitter tributes from fellow artists. President Alassane Ouattara called him &#8220;a youth icon and ambassador of Ivorian music and culture&#8221;.<br />
</span>DJ Arafat&#8217;s five children were present at the concert. There was tight security at the venue with some 6,500 security forces deployed across the stadium overlooking Abidjan&#8217;s picturesque lagoon.<br />
State radio and television broadcast the event live and giant screens were installed in Yopougon and other working-class areas, as well as the upmarket Cocody-Angre district where DJ Arafat lived.<br />
Working as a disc jockey on Rue Princesse, DJ Arafat made his breakthrough with &#8220;Jonathan&#8221; in 2003, which he followed with a string of other hits.<br />
<span style="color: var(--color-text);">Arafat revolutionized Coupé-Decalé by mixing sounds and rhythms. For instance he was inspired by African traditional music, but also by Nigerian Afrobeat, by rap and by Brazilian funk.<br />
</span>&#8220;He was also an exceptional dancer and he linked the music he made to new dance forms.&#8221;<br />
The Ivorian star was also known for conflict with rivals.</p>
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