Tiken Jah Fakoly

Drawing from the legacies of Bob Marley, Alpha Blondy, and Africa's griot traditions, Tiken Jah Fakoly rose during the closing years of the 1990s as the continent's foremost voice of social critique expressed through reggae. Doumbia Moussa Fakoly entered the world on June 23, 1968, within a lineage of musicians and oral historians recognized across Africa as griots, and he cultivated a deep affinity for reggae during his boyhood in the northern Ivory Coast town of Odienné. In 1987 he assembled his debut ensemble under the name Djelys, another term for griots and minstrels. Assuming the responsibilities of a custodian of history, Fakoly composed lyrics that chronicled contemporary occurrences and the subjugation endured by his community. Regional recognition arrived swiftly, after which his recordings and stature extended throughout the country and across its frontiers. The track that recounted the passing of Félix Houphouët-Boigny propelled him to widespread favor among young listeners throughout Africa. African expatriates subsequently carried his music to audiences overseas, most notably in France. Fakoly made his initial international appearance with a 1998 performance in Paris. His first releases—Les Djelys (1993), Missiri (1994), Mandercratie (1996), Cours d'Histoire (1999), and Le Chaméléon (2000)—were issued solely for African markets. Subsequent projects, Françafrique (2002) and Coup de Gueule (2004), both captured at Jamaica's Tuff Gong Studios, achieved strong commercial success in France. Fakoly attained sales of 100,000 units among French buyers, establishing him as Africa's top-selling reggae performer. The 2007 album The African secured a sustained position in the Top 20 of World Music Charts Europe. He next issued the live recording Live In Paris in 2008, followed in 2010 by African Revolution and Listen To The Banned.