Mory Kanté (born in Kissidougou, Guinea, on 29 March 1950; died 22 May 2020… Read Full Bio ↴Mory Kanté (born in Kissidougou, Guinea, on 29 March 1950; died 22 May 2020) was an acclaimed Guinean vocalist and player of the kora harp. He is best remembered internationally for his 1987 hit song "Yé ké yé ké", which reached number-one in Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, and Spain. The album it came from, Akwaba Beach, was the best-selling African record of its time.

Kanté was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot (hereditary) musicians. After being brought in the Mandinka griot tradition in Guinea, he was sent to Mali at the age of seven years – where he learned to play the kora, as well as important voice traditions, some of which are necessary to become a griot.

In 1971 Kanté became a member of the Rail Band, in which Salif Keïta was a singer. Keïta left the band in 1973, leaving Kanté as the singer.

Mory Kanté is best remembered internationally for his 1987 hit song "Yéké Yéké", which was one of Africa's best-ever selling hits as well as being a European Number One.

On 16 October 2001, Mory Kanté was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Kanté was among Africa’s top musicians – including Tiken Jah Fakoly, Amadou & Mariam and the rapper Didier Awadi – that banded together for the recording of "Africa Stop Ebola," a song offering sound advice aimed at raising awareness in the wake of the Ebola crisis. The song, released in November 2014, transcended public service announcements and sold 250,000 copies with all proceeds going to medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).