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.
La Porte De l'Histoire
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C′est Amadou qui fait ça
Il à prit le pouvoir
Laisser le pouvoir
Ont lui donner le pouvoir
Il rendu le pouvoir
Celui qui fait ça en Africa mérite de rentrer dans l'histoire
Malie Amadou
C′est Amadou qui fait ça
Rawlings à compris
Abdou Diouf aussi
Konare à fait ça
Jhon Kuffor à fait ça
Tous ce qui font ça en Africa, méritent de rentrés dans l'histoire.
Amadou, Amadou, Amadou
C'est Amadou qui fait ça
Kouman kan, ani constitution
Ka kouman kan bognê
Ka constitution bognê
Môgô ni ka ô kèh en nou gnè en kan ka alé kognuma lon
Et si Amadou à fait ça
C′est que Wade peut faire ça
Et si Wade fesait ça
C′est que Blaise peut faire ça
Et si Blaise fesait ça
C'est que ADO peut faire ça
Et si ADO fesait ça
C′est que Alpha peut faire ça
Et si Alpha fesait ça
C'est la démocratie qui à gagné hé
Amadou
C′est Amadou qui fait ça
Mali Amadou, Badjagara Amadou
Mopty Amadou
Kaye Amadou
Tombouctou Amadou
C'est Amadou qui fait ça
Mopty Amadou
Badjagara Amadou
Cebare Amadou
Mali Amadou qui fait ça
Et si Amadou à fait ça
C′est parceque Konare à fait ça
Et si Konare à fait ça
C'est parceque Kuffor à fait ça
Et quand Kuffor à fait ça
C'est parceque Abdou Diouf à fait ça
Et si Abdou Diouf à fait ça
C′est parceque Mandela à fait ça
Et quand Mandela à fait ça c′est la démocratie qui gagné hé
Amadou, c'est Amadou qui fait ça
Amadou, Amadou
Djene Amadou
C′est Amadou qui fait ça
Amadou, Mali Amadou
The lyrics of Tiken Jah Fakoly's song La Porte De l'Histoire speak of the power of leaders in Africa, specifically mentioning Amadou, who has taken and then relinquished power. The repetition of his name and the phrase "c'est Amadou qui fait ça" ("it's Amadou who does that") indicates the respect and admiration he has earned for his actions. The song also highlights the importance of leaders who willingly give up power, as they allow democracy to flourish and prevent dictatorship.
The mention of other African leaders who have also relinquished power, such as Rawlings, Diouf, Konare, and Kuffor, emphasizes that this is a value that should be celebrated and one that can be achieved across the continent. The lyrics also mention the possibility of future leaders, such as Wade, Blaise, ADO, and Alpha, who could follow in Amadou's footsteps and contribute to the success of democracy in Africa. The song ultimately ends on a celebratory note, with the idea that the actions of these leaders have allowed democracy to prevail.
Line by Line Meaning
Amadou, Amadou, Amadou
Repetition of the name Amadou to emphasize his role in the following lines
C′est Amadou qui fait ça
Amadou is the one who took and gave back the power
Il à prit le pouvoir
He took the power
Laisser le pouvoir
He left the power
Ont lui donner le pouvoir
The power was given to him
Il rendu le pouvoir
He returned the power
Celui qui fait ça en Africa mérite de rentrer dans l'histoire
Anyone who does this in Africa deserves to make history
Malie Amadou
This is Amadou from Mali
Rawlings à compris
Rawlings understood
Abdou Diouf aussi
Abdou Diouf too
Konare à fait ça
Konare did that
Jhon Kuffor à fait ça
Jhon Kuffor did that
Tous ce qui font ça en Africa, méritent de rentrés dans l'histoire.
Everyone who does that in Africa deserves to make history
Kouman kan, ani constitution
How is it possible without a constitution?
Ka kouman kan bognê
How can it be done without it?
Ka constitution bognê
Let's follow the constitution
Môgô ni ka ô kèh en nou gnè en kan ka alé kognuma lon
We are brothers, we have to work together to build a good future for our children
Et si Amadou à fait ça
And if Amadou did that
C′est que Wade peut faire ça
Wade can also do it
Et si Wade fesait ça
And if Wade did that
C′est que Blaise peut faire ça
Blaise can do it too
Et si Blaise fesait ça
And if Blaise did that
C'est que ADO peut faire ça
ADO can do it too
Et si ADO fesait ça
And if ADO did that
C′est que Alpha peut faire ça
Alpha can do it too
Et si Alpha fesait ça
And if Alpha did that
C'est la démocratie qui à gagné hé
Democracy is the winner
Badjagara Amadou
This is Amadou from Badjagara
Mopty Amadou
This is Amadou from Mopty
Cebare Amadou
This is Amadou from Cebare
Et si Amadou à fait ça
And if Amadou did that
C′est parceque Konare à fait ça
It's because Konare did that
C'est parceque Kuffor à fait ça
It's because Kuffor did that
C'est parceque Abdou Diouf à fait ça
It's because Abdou Diouf did that
C′est parceque Mandela à fait ça
It's because Mandela did that
Amadou, Mali Amadou
This is Amadou from Mali
Writer(s): Tiken Jah Fakoly
Contributed by Dominic O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TikenJahFakolyOfficiel
Écoutez mon nouveau titre / Listen to my new track : RELIGION 👉🏿https://TikenJahFakoly.lnk.to/Religion
Retrouvez-moi sur TikTok / Find me on TikTok 👉🏿https://www.tiktok.com/@tikenjahfakolyofficiel
@jocelincitateillery.53
Gracias corazon de melon, no solo dejaste en mi memoria momentos increibles, tambien dejaste al Master Tiken . Gracias de corazon y que dios te bendiga..
@orlandogarros1864
A
@layeconde8067
lay
@lebishopbishop6915
merci a vous Tiken Jah pour toute vos chansons d'éveil des consciences
@aboudramanetoure1959
L'ultime messager de Jah. Très belle chanson
@dramanehott1370
Merci beaucoup que allha vous protège
@djamallamine4268
May your perfect soul rest in eternal peace ATT.
@user-tq5lf7re1d
Музыканты и Тикена профи очень красивая музыка
@fousseynitraore3545
Respect mon frère TJF. Tu es un grand.