François Luambo Makiadi, born July 6, 1938, died October 12, 1989, is a famous Congolese (DRC) musician. His stage name is Franco Luambo, or just Franco. He is best known as a master of Congolese rumba and later sukus. He was a member of the TPOK Jazz group and is considered one of the founders of contemporary Congolese music. In 1985, Franco released his biggest hit, Mario, the story of a gigolo who lives with an older woman (covered by Africando in 2006). In 1987, it was rumored that Franco was seriously ill. That year, he released an album entitled Attention na SIDA (in Lingala: Beware of AIDS); some deduced that he was HIV-positive. Franco died on October 12, 1989 in a Belgian hospital. His body was repatriated to Zaire and a four-day national mourning period was held.