A breakthrough for music from the continent, Senegalese band Toure Kunda's 1980 debut album E’mma Africa helped popularise African music globally, by way of Europe. Capturing the world's imagination with the enchanting polyrhythms and sabar drums of breakout songs such as “On Verra Ça”, “Baounane” and “É'mma”, the Casamance-bred outfit—led by brothers Ismaïla and Sixu Tidiane Toure—parlayed a synth-infused iteration of mbalax replete with Afrobeat, disco, pop, funk, reggae and rock influences. With its African sensibilities—owed to Mandinke and Soninke sounds—and Carribbean intonations, E'mma Africa displayed the group's sonic versatility and multilingual disposition, expressing sociopolitical themes in Wolof, Diola, Soninke, Mandingo, Fula and Portuguese creole. With a wide array of people relating to their sonic flexibility, the brothers' beginnings as immigrants in the Parisian scene added a sense of fairy tale to their rise to recognition. In its momentous reception, E'mma Africa represented the genesis of The Elephant Family's storied legacy.