TIKEN JAH FAKOLY

Tiken Jah Fakoly is one of the leading figures in activist reggae and has been the embodiment of a free voice in the service of the people of Africa for over three decades. Born in 1968 in Odienné, in northwestern Côte d’Ivoire, this son of a blacksmith discovered protest music at an early age and formed his first group, Djelys, in 1987. His incisive lyrics, rooted in the social and political realities of the post-Houphouët-Boigny era, soon won him dazzling popularity among young Ivorians. Tiken Jah made a name for himself in Europe in 1998, winning over an international audience while remaining true to his pan-Africanist convictions.

He denounces injustice and calls for the unity and sovereignty of the continent, exposing himself to threats that forced him into exile in Mali in 2003. Françafrique won him a Victoire de la Musique award, and he has since performed at major venues and festivals in France, Europe, the US and Canada, always with an extraordinary energy. As well as his music, his commitment also extends to the field. Through the ‘Un concert, une école’ initiative, he finances the construction of schools in Côte d’Ivoire, believing in education as a lever for emancipation. An artist of strong convictions, Tiken Jah Fakoly continues to make reggae a space for struggle, transmission and hope.