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.
Le Balayeur
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le balayeur balayé
Arrivé comme un sauveur
Il est parti comme un voleur
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Arrivé comme un héros
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la présence des vautours autour
Bye bye
{au Refrain}
Arrivé comme un ami
Il est reparti ennemi
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Arrivé comme un héros
Il est reparti à zéro
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Bye bye
{au Refrain}
Allah té dji tora non'non la
Ni lé ko ki kiya ni bé yé
Aba yiri la kima kia bé yé
Ni lé ko ki li ye bla bégné
Aba yiri la ko ité bégné *
Il se croyait le plus malin
Il a eu plus malin que lui
Bye bye
{au Refrain}
Il se croyait le plus intelligent
Il a eu plus intelligent que lui
Il se croyait le plus fort de tous
Il a eu plus fort que lui
Il se croyait le plus grand doubleur
Il a eu le roi des doubleurs
Bye bye
{au Refrain}
Tiken Jah Fakoly's song Le Balayeur is a commentary on the disappointment and disillusionment of the people of Côte d'Ivoire with their political leaders. The lyrics suggest that the politicians who come to power promising to be a savior or hero ultimately end up betraying the people and leaving them worse off than before. The title of the song, "Le Balayeur balayé," which means "the sweeper swept," suggests that those who try to sweep away corruption and injustice in politics are often themselves swept away by the system.
The first verse describes the politician as arriving like a savior but leaving like a thief, despite being warned about the disappointment and presence of corrupt vultures waiting to exploit the people's faith. The second verse is similar, but this time the politician arrives as a friend and leaves as an enemy. The third verse is in a different language, possibly Bambara or Dyula, and describes how the politician thought he was the smartest and strongest, but ultimately was outsmarted and defeated.
Overall, the song seems to be a warning against putting too much trust in politicians and a call for the people to be vigilant and hold their leaders accountable.
Line by Line Meaning
Le balayeur balayé
The sweeper swept
Arrivé comme un sauveur
He arrived as a savior
Il est parti comme un voleur
He left like a thief
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
I had warned him though
De la déception de mon peuple
About the disappointment of my people
Arrivé comme un héros
He arrived as a hero
Il est reparti à zéro
He left with nothing
De la présence des vautours autour
About the presence of vultures around
Bye bye
Bye bye
Arrivé comme un ami
He arrived as a friend
Il est reparti ennemi
He left as an enemy
De la déception de mon peuple
About the disappointment of my people
Il se croyait le plus malin
He thought he was the smartest
Il a eu plus malin que lui
Someone smarter got him
Allah té dji tora non'non la
Allah is the only one who knows
Ni lé ko ki kiya ni bé yé
We don't know what happened
Aba yiri la kima kia bé yé
The earth shakes without making noise
Ni lé ko ki li ye bla bégné
We don't know where he went
Aba yiri la ko ité bégné *
The earth keeps moving regardless
Il se croyait le plus intelligent
He thought he was the most intelligent
Il se croyait le plus fort de tous
He thought he was the strongest of all
Il se croyait le plus grand doubleur
He thought he was the greatest liar
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: Zakaria MAMBOUE, TIKEN JAH FAKOLY, Issa KOUROUMA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristianvalderas7132
Arrivé comme un sauveur
Il est parti comme un voleur
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Arrivé comme un héros
Il est reparti à zéro
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la présence des vautours autour
Bye bye
Arrivé comme un ami
Il est reparti ennemi
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Arrivé comme un héros
Il est reparti à zéro
Je l'avais pourtant prévenu
De la déception de mon peuple
Bye bye
Allah té dji tora non'non la
Ni lé ko ki kiya ni bé yé
Aba yiri la kima kia bé yé
Ni lé ko ki li ye bla bégné
Aba yiri la ko ité bégné *
Il se croyait le plus malin
Il a eu plus malin que lui
Bye bye
Il se croyait le plus intelligent
Il a eu plus intelligent que lui
Il se croyait le plus fort de tous
Il a eu plus fort que lui
Il se croyait le plus grand doubleur
Il a eu le roi des doubleurs
Bye bye
@mohamedhali5983
Grosse pensée à ma Guinee Conakry !! Nous vivons une situation difficile ici et j’espère un jour que le balayeur sera balayé !!!!
@bouramadieme3232
⁰⁰⁰⁰000000
@bouramadieme3232
A
@GuineaGagne
Il est balaye maintenant frere
@vetokede7217
Dieu a exaucé ton vœux 🥳✨🎊🍾✨
@mohamedhali5983
Il y’a 7 mois je faisait ces prières !!🙏🏾🙏🏾 Dieu veille sur toute l’Afrique et qu’il nous épargne de ces tyrans qui ont la boulimie du pouvoir !!! Amen !! Mon peuple est libéré de son dictateur !🙏🏾🇬🇳💪🏾
@philippehue9133
Merci ton chant, hante nos esprits. Longue vie à Tiken. Avec du respect,, méritons notre existence.
@sizzla9480
Qui écoute en 2020👍👍
@ShilohCs2
2021 !
@jonathanrabel2098
En 2023 👍👍👍