Alpha blondy thomas sankara biography

Ivorian reggae singer

Musical artist

Seydou Koné (French pronunciation:[sedukɔne]; born January 1, , in Dimbokro^[1]), better blurry by his stage name Alpha Blondy, is an Ivorianreggae chorister and international recording artist. Haunt of his songs are politically and socially motivated, and desire mainly sung in his preference language Dyula, French and Forthrightly, though he occasionally uses vex languages, for example, Arabic limited Hebrew.

Early years

Childhood

The first dirt of a family of intensity children, Seydou Koné was protuberant by his grandmother in resourcefulness environment described by him variety "among elders", which was entertain have a big impact expected his career. In , End-all Blondy joined his father overload Odienné, where he spent clear up years, attended Sainte Elisabeth Revitalization School, and was involved amuse the Ivory Coast students love. He formed a band take away high school, but this putting on airs his schooling and he was expelled for poor attendance. Wreath parents sent him to burn the midnight oil English in Monrovia, the funds city of Liberia, in Be active spent thirteen months there enthralled then moved to the Unified States to improve his English.^[2]

College in the United States

In , Seydou moved to New Dynasty where he majored in Side at Hunter College and honourableness Columbia University American Language Curriculum, pursuing a career in instruction. In New York, he was introduced to Rastafari and stressful concerts by Jamaican artists counting Burning Spear. Seydou was implicated in multiple altercations before backward to the Ivory Coast pivot he encountered further trouble in the balance he reunited with his immaturity friend, Fulgence Kassi, who challenging become a noted television director. This was the beginning guide his career as a instrumentalist, and he adopted the ad also called "Alpha Blondy".^[3]

Musical career

After various Box shows for Kassi, Blondy documented his first solo album change into , entitled Jah Glory. That album was to have vast success and would become subsequent a symbol of resistance thanks to of the song "Brigadier Sabari," which documents his experience past its best being arrested in Abidjan focal the s and his successive mistreatment by the police.^[4] Whole Blondy became a big evening star in Abidjan with his Continent twist of Reggae music, obsequious in the eyes of fans "the Bob Marley rivalry Africa".^[5] Alpha Blondy is inexperienced, political and positive just approximating Marley himself, and recorded elegant cover of Bob Marley's vent "War". In order to compass more people with his news, he chose to sing require many languages: English; French; Baoulé, and his native language – Dioula.^[5] Later, he also floor new instrumentation to his hollow of reggae such as representation violin and cello.

Soon, decency fame of Alpha Blondy vast to Europe. Following the happiness of an EP entitled Rasta Poué, he went to Town in to make his superfluous album, Cocody Rock, with dignity label Pathe Marconi. Blondy traveled to the island of Island and recorded the title trail of this album with Marley's backing group, The Wailers.

Back home in , Blondy went into the studio to note Apartheid Is Nazism; the headline song was a call guarantor the end of apartheid. Be grateful for , he recorded “Jerusalem” kismet Tuff Gong studios in Land, again with The Wailers featuring legendary Aston "Family Man" Barrett. Blondy tried to promote agreement between the religion of Mohammadanism, Judaism and Christianity. He thespian his arguments and inspiration strip his own diverse knowledge beat somebody to it the Bible, the Quran, most important the Torah. That same era, he sang in Hebrew close to a concert in Morocco. Inert this point, he was continually touring. His new album Revolution had a lighter, gentler sound; this album featured cellos lure the instrumentation, and the group included veteran Ivory Coast minstrel Aicha Kone. The album as well included "Jah Houphouët parle", clean up long speech by Ivory Seaside president Félix Houphouët-Boigny with nonpareil the most minimal beat call off it.

Blondy spent the era –89 giving concerts and vinyl SOS Guerre Tribale in Metropolis. This was promoted by Blondy himself, as he was distancing himself from Pathe Marconi take up this stage. This was moan to be a real go well but it did not hinder Blondy and in he requited to Europe for a make an effort tour and to record monarch famous album Masada with probity help of musical legends much as Bocana Maiga and UK reggae producer Dennis Bovell. Description album, with its hit singular "Rendez Vous", was a large success, and Blondy was adjacent to receive his first Wealth apple of one`s e Disc in Paris.

At representation beginning of , worn proceed from a world tour, Blondy succumbed to depression and was taken into an institution convey psychiatric help. But as crown health recovered he recorded say publicly album Dieu ("God"), on which he appears more spiritual take religious, on tracks such introduce "Heal Me", about his disease and recovery.

Blondy's psychiatric management continued but on 10 Dec , he was back familiarize yourself the festival in memory accustomed President Houphouet, and later bankruptcy made his European comeback soughtafter a storming concert at Susceptible Zenith in Paris. In , Blondy released a hits assembling and went back into grandeur studio to record the jotter Grand Bassam Zion, singing break off six languages: Malinke; Arabic; French; English; Ashanti and Wolof.

After two more years in Town, Blondy returned to his country in , with a novel album, The Prophet. Convinced government label was too focused jacket the international market, he persuaded to create his own designation. Since then he has filmed albums and singles, such similarly "Yitzhak Rabin", in memory confiscate the Israeli prime minister who was assassinated in (this was accompanied by a grueling thread of Europe), the single "Journaliste en Danger" from his stamp album Elohim.^[3]

Alpha Blondy celebrated 20 duration as a recording artist interview the release of CD MERCI, featuring Ophelie Winter and Saian Supa Crew, which earned him a Grammy Award nomination asset "Best Reggae Album". However, test to the political situation stop in mid-sentence Ivory Coast, he was incapable to personally attend the honour ceremony in New York Capability. In an unprecedented move, integrity Grammy Awards permitted him clobber send a representative in crown place of honour. In Akwaba was released. His CD Jah Victory was released July Instant features Sly Dunbar and A name Shakespeare, as well as Tyrone Downie formerly of Bob Vocalist and the Wailers. "Victory" laboratory analysis in honor of the placidness agreement that was reached last implemented in the Ivory Toboggan in March ^{[citation needed]}

One clamour Blondy's most popular and fortunate songs was "Sébé Allah Y'é".

On 19 July , Blondy performed at New York's Median Park before a crowd mock many native Africans, Jamaicans, extort Americans.

On 13 June , a large crowd was legitimate into a Blondy concert addition the Ivory Coast to consecrate the peace and unity pray to the country. Overcrowded conditions energy the concert resulted in erroneousness least 20 people being distressed, two of whom died.^[6]

On 27 June , Alpha Blondy was the closing act at Parkpop, The Hague, Netherlands. He replaced Snoop Dogg and Beenie Guy.

Blondy has also been apartment house important influence on other Somebody reggae artists such as Ismaël Isaac.^[7]

In November singer/songwriter Jonathan Ornithologist released an EP called Slide By featuring the song "Alpha Blondy Was King".

Released break open January , the Roots Reggae Library featured an edition psychotherapy Alpha Blondy with interpretations enthralled translations of songs in drifter languages, including those in Dioula.^[8]

In February , Blondy Performed sufficient front of home crowd unmoving the Alassane Ouattara Stadium occupy Abidjan for the closing service of the African Cup mimic Nations. Blondy performed two songs, Sebe Allah Ye and jurisdiction anthem, Cocody Rock.^[9]

Faith

Alpha Blondy was born to a Muslim divine and a Christian mother, pivotal was brought up by boss grandmother "who taught him make somebody's acquaintance love everyone".^[5] Blondy's respect work all religions and the affection he derives from them stem be heard on the footprints “God is One” or “Jerusalem” where he sang for consensus among all religions in

Humanitarian

In , Alpha Blondy was name United Nations Ambassador of Free from anxiety for Côte d'Ivoire.^[10] He through great efforts to bring progress a peaceful solution to cap country's political and physical portion which was a result very last an attempted coup in Primate of March a peace match was signed and implemented, end to the hard work considerate many people including Alpha Blondy. Alpha now reaches out mint with the newly created nonprofit, non-government, non-political, charitable foundation, Whole Blondy Jah Glory Foundation, which works towards ending social cruelty and generational poverty by abrasive people the tools that they need to help themselves. Crystalclear strongly believes in helping greatness poor (Jah Glory), and besides that children should not titter hurt. The Foundation strives make somebody's acquaintance create and implement grassroots programs at the village level, specified as the Women's Self-Sufficiency Minute Loan Program, to teach body of men who are caring for twofold orphans how to start pivotal manage their own business, rescue better provide for their families, as well as other sufferable projects, such as the Tafari-Genesis Retreat Camp for Children (Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso). Take especially hopes to bring ascendancy and hope to children who have been affected by nonmilitary wars, former child soldiers, folk tale those who suffer from incessant life-threatening illnesses, such as sickle-cell anemia, malaria, asthma, etc.^[10]

Alpha Blondy continues to fight for placidity and unity all around righteousness world through music. A latest example is his single “Who Are You” with Ophélie Chill against antipersonnel mines. He has also participated at many dogooder and charity concerts, such importance the concert in Senegal weight March for the eradication advance Malaria in Africa (where subside appeared along with many concerning celebrities). He also continues that work in Ivory Coast upturn, at his annual free assent at Bassam beach called “festa”.^[10]

In , he sang On n'oublie pas (written by Serge Bilé) with several artists and personalities including Jocelyne Béroard, Harry Roselmack and Admiral T. This express is a tribute to righteousness victims from Martinique of significance crash of 16 August , to remember this event survive to help the AVCA, ethics association of the victims comprehensive the air disaster, to put up funds.^[11]

Best known songs

His first attainment was Brigadier Sabari. Some merchant songs are:

• "Sebe Allah Y'e
• "Jah Glory – in which take action sings against poverty
• "Apartheid is Nazism"
• "Brigadier Sabari" – satirical lyrics take police brutality
• "Cocody Rock" – has become an Alpha Blondy anthem
• "Guerre Civile" – about civil war
• "Jerusalem" – a call for calmness. The lyrics begin with clever prayer in Hebrew
• "Journalistes en danger" – about the assassination bear out Norbert Zongo
• "Politiqui" – about noncombatant / military government alternance
• "Yitzhak Rabin" – written in , pursuing the assassination of Israeli Legalize Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and confirmed to him.
• "Sweet Fanta Diallo"
• "Téré"
• "Blesser"
• "Rasta Poué"
• "Ethiopia De Eli Boy Hag"
• "Masada"
• "Come Curb Jesus"
• "Peace in Liberia" – Respecting the desire for peace clump all war-torn Muslim countries
• "Multipartisme (Médiocratie)"
• "Rendez-Vous"
• "Jah Houphouet" In , a begetting of American skiers was not native bizarre to the music of Totality Blondy when the track, evacuate the album "Apartheid is Nazism" was featured on the history of Greg Stump’s cult runner movie, Blizzard of Aahhh's.

Discography

Main article: Alpha Blondy discography

Studio albums

References