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.
Politiciens
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bi mô té saratikan djate
Bi mô té saratikan mawé
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné layé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan djaté
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné la yé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Baga baga na ban hira
Ikassa lon mi
Ita duniya bana
Ilaken kaburu kô non
Ta kiama dabôra
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô gbêrê fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Bi mô saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Ne'ko !
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
Ma'ni n'vawé
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
The lyrics of Tiken Jah Fakoly's "Politiciens" express a deep mistrust and disappointment towards politicians. The song starts with the repeated phrase "Bi mô té saratikan dafa," which roughly translates to "I am tired of being deceived." The chorus, "Politiciens té saratikan djaté" means "politicians keep deceiving us." The lyrics also mention the act of voting, with the lines "Voté Kassé voté Seto," which means "vote for Kassé or vote for Seto," highlighting the lack of choice in the political system.
The song's second verse speaks to the corruption and greed within politics, with the lines "Ilaken kaburu kô non, Ta kiama dabôra" roughly translating to "they have money hidden, while the people suffer." The lyrics also criticize the politicians for their inability to bring about change, with "Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma, Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla" meaning "They promised and failed, promised and failed again."
Overall, "Politiciens" is a powerful critique of the political system and those within it, expressing the frustration and disappointment felt by many who have been forgotten by the system they were promised would help them.
Line by Line Meaning
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
The country is in complete chaos
Bi mô té saratikan djate
The government is corrupt
Bi mô té saratikan mawé
The people are suffering
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné layé
The leader is only concerned with his own riches
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
They promise change but deliver nothing
Ni ki layé
They are lying
Ma niki sigui
I do not believe them
Baga baga na ban hira
Chaos and disorder reigns
Politiciens té saratikan djaté
Politicians are responsible for the country's chaos
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politicians only care about their own wealth
Politiciens natô gbêrê fola
Politicians are stealing from the people
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
The people are suffering a lot
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
The people are constantly being robbed
Ikassa lon mi
The world is not fair
Ita duniya bana
This is the reality of the world
Ilaken kaburu kô non
Only the powerful are benefiting
Ta kiama dabôra
The people are helpless
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Voting is pointless
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
The people are suffering a lot
Ne'ko !
Enough!
Mani n'vawé
I am watching
Kameren lou wé
Africa is suffering
Soungourou louwo
The rich are getting richer
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
Cristian Valderas
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Bi mô té saratikan djate
Bi mô té saratikan mawé
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné layé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Baga baga na ban hira
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan djaté
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné la yé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Baga baga na ban hira
Ikassa lon mi
Ita duniya bana
Ilaken kaburu kô non
Ta kiama dabôra
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô gbêrê fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Bi mô saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Ne'ko !
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
Ma'ni n'vawé
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
Cristian Valderas
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Bi mô té saratikan djate
Bi mô té saratikan mawé
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné layé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Baga baga na ban hira
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan djaté
Bi mô té saratikan dafa
Ma wé bimo té kuma kan bogné la yé
Bi mô léko ki la ka kônô yé
Ni ki layé
Ma niki sigui
Baga baga na ban hira
Ikassa lon mi
Ita duniya bana
Ilaken kaburu kô non
Ta kiama dabôra
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô gbêrê fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Bi mô saratikan dafa
Politiciens té saratikan
Voté Kassé voté Seto
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Politiciens natô kuma kan kula fola
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Lon-lon darô konron ya kuma
Lon-lon kuma kan gbera fôla
Ne'ko !
Baga baga na ban hira
Mani n'vawé
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Ne'ko !
Ne'ko !
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
Ma'ni n'vawé
Kameren lou wé
Soungourou louwo
Ne'ko !
Mohamed Baradji
bravo mpn frère
N'dri Serge Arnaud
Sois béni frère.
Eric BOUESSA
Je cherche la traduction française pour nous Autres. J'aime beaucoup cette chanson
Ousmane Aly COULIBALY
@Eric BOUESSA les politiciens font beaucoup de promesses farfelues pour se faire élire. Si tu crois à tous ce qu'ils disent tu va attendre longtemps et les termites vont finir par te bouffer
Eric BOUESSA
@Ousmane Aly COULIBALY merci, très belle langue
Abu Sean sanda
More than 10 years I'm looking for this song is today that I discovered the song😢❤❤❤❤
Elyas Arbab
Tiken jah&Alpha blondy are the best African reagge music stars
Greetings from Sudan 🇸🇩
David Msili
Ça c'est du reggaë j'adore continuez comme ça
Steven Poter
Ah oui sa c du reggae respect tiken