Tiken Jah Fakoly

 It took a child to told me about this reggae singer, Tiken Jah Fakoly. After listening to one of his songs, I liked him right away.

Tiken Jah was born to a Muslim family in the north-western part of Ivory Coast. From a family of griot (historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet and musician) he uses his voice to sing out loud the situation of his pople and his continent. His music, as common to the reggae genre, speaks about the social and political situations of his country, and the African continent in general. Political commentaries spread around the lyrics of his songs, which serve to awaken the consciousness of his listeners. 

Take for example the stanzas below from his song "African Revolution": 

We want revolution
Young people revolution
Intelligent revolution
Must be African education
We want revolution
Young people revolution
Intelligent revolution
Must be black people revolution

Go to school brother
And learn what they are doing
It will open up your eyes
To the people's situation
Go to school my brother
I said go to school my brother
You will understand very soon
All the problems of your nation

  Or this line from his French song whose title, "Il faut se lever", is aptly put: 

Personne ne viendra (Nobody will come)
Changer l'Afrique en notre place (to change Africa in our behalf)
Je dis, personne ne viendra (I say, nobody will come)
Changer l'Afrique en notre place (to change Africa in our behalf)


Il faut se lever, lever, lever pour changer tout ça (It is necessary to wake ourselves up to change it all)
On doit se lever, lever, lever pour changer tout ça (We have to wake up, to change it all).    

As his songs speak of human oppression, to his people and his continent, a lot of listeners can easily feel an affinity on them. It is of no wonder why he is one of the most listened to singers not just in his country but throughout the world.