Tiken Jah Fakoly

In the tradition of Bob Marley, Alpha Blondy, and his African griot caste, Tiken Jah Fakoly emerged in the late '90s as Africa's premier social critic through reggae. Taking on the mantel of a history keeper, Fakoly wrote lyrics that documented events of his times and the oppression of his people. His early albums, including Les Djelys (1993), Missiri (1994), Mangercratie (1996), Cours d'Histoire (1999), and Le Caméléon (2000), were originally produced exclusively for African distribution. Later albums such as Françafrique (2002) and Coup de Gueule (2004), which were recorded at the famed Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica, became best-sellers in France. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez