Tiken Jah Fakoly (1968) is a reggae singer from Odienné, Côte d’Ivoire (a.k… Read Full Bio ↴Tiken Jah Fakoly (1968) is a reggae singer from Odienné, Côte d’Ivoire (a.k.a Ivory Coast).

Tiken Jah was born into a family of griots and christened Doumbia Moussa Fakoly on June 23, 1968 in Odienne, north-western Côte d'Ivoire. He discovered reggae at an early age, assembling his first group, Djelys, in 1987. He became well-known at a regional level, but would soon ascend to national recognition.

Concerned by the social and political evolution of his country, it was not long before Tiken Jah was writing incisive works on the political environment in Côte d'Ivoire. One such work was on the death of Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1993, which resulted in a surge of popularity amongst the nation's youth. In 1998, Fakoly made his first international appearance in Paris.

Tiken Jah Fakoly plays music "to wake up the consciences". His music speaks about many injustices done to the people of his country, and those over Africa. As such, African listeners feel a deep affinity with his lyrics as Fakoly speaks for people whom are under oppression. This connection has helped make Tiken Jah Fakoly a much-listened artist throughout both Europe and Africa.

Discography

1. 1993: Les Djelys (cassette only - discontinued)
2. 1994: Missiri (cassette only - discontinued)
3. 1996: Mangercratie
4. 1999: Cours d'histoire
5. 2000: Le Cameleon (exclusive to West Africa)
6. 2002: Françafrique (a term coined by Francois Xavier-Verschave)
7. 2004: Coup de gueule
8. 2005: Africa wants to be free, compilation to support fr:Survie (association)

NOTE: Mangercratie was released in France in 1999 and in Canada in 2000. Cours d'histoire was released in France in 2000 and in Canada in 2001. The first two albums were only released in Côte d'Ivoire.

Outside Projects

Tiken Jah Fakoly has recorded various tracks with other artists. He is featured on Steel Pulse: African Holocaust, on Rike: Airt Frais, on Bernard Laviliers: Carnet De Bord, on Amadou & Marima: Dimanche A Bamaco, on Dub Incorporation: Life, and on Tata Pound: Cikan. He also appears on the compilation African Consiences with Mebgane N'Dour. He will be featured in the upcoming movie Les Oiseaux Du Ciel, directed by Eliane De Latour.

Awards:

2003: Victoires de la Musique 2003, in the category of Reggae Album/Ragga/World with the album Françafrique.

African
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

We want revolution
Young people revolution
Intelligent revolution

Must be black people education

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
You will understand very soon
All the problems of your nation

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

In your mind brother
There is the power to change the world
This understanding
Will help to make a better place
And in your hands brother
There is the key to this continent
And if you don't unlock it soon
It will be lost to the government

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

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

African revolution must be black people redemption

Overall Meaning

The song African by Tiken Jah Fakoly is a call for revolution in knowledge and mindset among the African youth. The artist's main message is that the only way Africa can attain true liberation and freedom is to develop an African education that relates to the needs and aspirations of the continent's people. The song recognizes that knowledge is power and that if Africa's youth fail to go to school to learn what they need to do to change their continent, they risk leaving it in the hands of a government that is not accountable to its people. Additionally, Tiken Jah Fakoly uses the song to urge the African youth to take action and revolutionize their continent intelligently to achieve true redemption.

The lyrics are a clear message of hope and empowerment to the African youth, stating that they have the potential to transform the continent if they arm themselves with knowledge. Tiken Jah Fakoly emphasizes the importance of education as the only way out of the current situation in Africa. The song is also a reminder that the African continent has much wealth in its culture and heritage, which should be reflected in its education system.

In summary, African is a call to the African youth to take control of their destiny through education, with the hope of attaining true redemption and liberation.

Line by Line Meaning

We want revolution
We desire a fundamental change in the system

Young people revolution
The youth have to lead the revolution

Intelligent revolution
Revolution should be thoughtful and well-planned

Must be African education
The type of education that fuels the revolution should be African-centric

Go to school brother
Attend school, fellow African

And learn what they are doing
Learn how the oppressing force operates

It will open up your eyes
It will broaden your understanding

To the people's situation
To the problems faced by our fellow Africans

Go to school my brother
Fellow African attend school

I said go to school
I am stressing the importance of attending school

You will understand very soon
You will grasp what is happening shortly

All the problems of your nation
Every issue faced by our country

In your mind brother
In your psyche, fellow African

There is the power to change the world
There is an ability in you to affect the globe positively

This understanding
This grasp of the situation

Will help to make a better place
Will play a role in the improvement of our surroundings

And in your hands brother
Fellow African, you possess the solution

There is the key to this continent
There is a principal element to unlocking the potential of Africa in your hands

And if you don't unlock it soon
If you hesitate to use it soon enough

It will be lost to the government
The control over our continent will go to the oppressive government

African revolution must be black people redemption
The liberation of Africa should be African-centric.

Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jonathan Quarmby, Thomas Naim, Tiken Jah Fakoly

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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