Touré Kunda was originally formed in 1979 by the brothers Amadou Touré (born 1943), Ismaila Touré (born 1950), and Sixu Tidiane Touré (born 1950). Ousmane Touré (born 1955) joined the group a few years later. They were born to Soninké parents in the Casamance region of Senegal. The name Touré Kunda translates literally from the Soninké language as "elephant family". Their parents were Daby Touré (1875-1956), and his wives Mafili (Sixu Tidiane), Masse (Amadou Seckou and Ismaila), and Dionfolo (Ousmane).
The Touré brothers developed local renown as a singing and percussion group, playing music based on traditional Senegalese rhythms known as Djabadong. In the late 1970s, the three brothers moved to Paris and began experimenting musically. The basis of their music remained traditional African rhythms, enhanced with the incorporation of reggae and other influences. Acoustic performances centered on vocals, kora, balafon, and percussion, evolved over time to include electric instruments and synthesizers. The brothers expanded the group to include several musicians from France and elsewhere.
Touré Kunda released their first album in 1980, É'mma Africa, which included their signature hit "É'mma". This album initiated the band's relationship with the Celluloid label, which was to last until about 1987. A second release soon followed, Touré Kunda (1981), and the group performed regularly around Paris to support these albums. Tragically, Amadou collapsed on stage and subsequently died in January 1983. Touré Kunda carried on, though, bringing in brother Ousmane Touré (born 1955) and paying tribute to their former bandleader with their third album, Amadou Tilo (1983).
In 1984, the group successfully toured West Africa, including Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and home country Senegal. Upon return, they recorded their fourth album Casamance Au Clair De Lune (1984). A film from the tour was shown on French television, leading to tours of France and the UK as well as the live double album, Live Paris-Ziguinchor (1984). In December, they joined Manu Dibango and several other African performers to record "Tam-Tam Pour L'Éthiopie", a famine relief benefit. The band's reputation rapidly grew to encompass an international audience.
Touré Kunda soon followed this remarkable success with their fifth album, Natalia (1985). With producer Bill Laswell at the helm and several major performers sitting in, the band incorporated a fully modern sound including synthesizers.
The Touré brothers left Celluloid to sign with Trema Music in France. The first album with Trema, Toubab Bi (1987), was also released on Celluloid the following year as Karadindi. With Trema in the early 1990s, Touré Kunda recorded two new albums, Salam (1990) and Sili Béto (1993), and a second live set, Sounké (1991). Although these were fine and critically acclaimed albums, the label released them only in France and provided little support.
Several members of the band moved on to form Kaoma, which soon found success with their major international hit "La Lambada" (1989).
A fifth Touré brother, Hamidou, joined the group for Salam and Sounké, though he and Ousmane both left before Sili Béto. Hamidou later released a successful solo album as Séta Touré, titled simply Africa (1994) and later as L'Album (1996).
Touré Kunda, once again based on the original duo of Ismaila and Sixu Tidiane, signed with WEA and regained international exposure with the stunning Mouslaï in late 1996.
In 1999, the group initiated a flurry of high profile activities with the release of Légende, a set of newly recorded versions of songs from earlier albums, including several from the Trema years. That same year, Santana released the runaway hit album Supernatural, which includes "Africa Bamba", an outstanding cover of Touré Kunda's "Guerrilla" from Salam (1990). They followed up soon after with Terra Saabi (2000), their first set of new material in four years. Tracks include a cover of the Phil Collins hit "In The Air Tonight" called "Nobel", and a re-make of the group's own song "Cindy". In 2001, the Touré brothers somehow found time to contribute guest appearances to new releases by Macaco and Alpha Blondy. They also launched the official Web site (www.toure-kunda.com) in April 2001.
Omar and Daby Touré, cousins from the next generation, formed the group Touré Touré. Their debut album, Laddé (1999), found international success and yielded the hit "Yorro".
Séta Touré continued his solo success with Douna (2000), and Ousmane Touré contributed a guest appearance to Tania Libertad's Costa Negra (2002).
A greatest hits album, Best Of, was released in 2006. Their album, Santhiaba, came out in 2008.
Africa Lelly
Touré Kunda Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dipubisan anak datung ngalih ku lain
apo nian salah kami datungku aeh
mangko sampai dipunakan tibuang jauh
lah tilalu nian sampai hati kayo
buang dipunakan diburubah kato 2x
dulu kayo ngan datang mumbujuk kami butunang
jangan sampai pubisan lepeh di ambik uhang
pubisan buralih hati, datung lupo di janji 2x
The lyrics of Touré Kunda's song Africa Lelly are written in the Indonesian language, with a mix of Sunda and Batak dialects. The song tells a story of heartbreak and betrayal, as a man laments the fact that his lover has left him for someone else. He speaks of how his heart is in turmoil, and how he is left alone with his pain. He laments the fact that his lover has moved on quickly, without any thought for the promises they had made to each other. The man is left feeling lost and abandoned, with no one to turn to.
The lyrics of the song are poignant and emotional, conveying a sense of loss and heartache. They speak to the universal human experience of love and loss, and the pain that comes with it. The use of Indonesian language and dialects adds to the emotional depth of the lyrics, giving them a unique and powerful quality.
Line by Line Meaning
hancu luluh raso hati di dalam hati
My heart is heavy and full of emotion.
dipubisan anak datung ngalih ku lain
I've been lured away from my home and family by someone else.
apo nian salah kami datungku aeh
I'm questioning the intentions of the person who brought me here.
mangko sampai dipunakan tibuang jauh
I've been taken so far from my home that it feels like I'll never return.
lah tilalu nian sampai hati kayo
The memories of my homeland are stirring up strong emotions within me.
buang dipunakan diburubah kato 2x
I feel like I've been tossed aside and transformed into something I'm not.
dulu kayo ngan datang mumbujuk kami butunang
You came to us before and persuaded us to trust you.
jangan sampai pubisan lepeh di ambik uhang
Don't let our trust be broken and our hearts be hurt.
minin apo tijadi datung mumbuang kami
I'm afraid of what might happen to us now that we're so far from home.
pubisan buralih hati, datung lupo di janji 2x
My heart is heavy with the feeling that we've been misled and the promises made to us have been forgotten.
Contributed by Makayla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
nacer osmani
Toujours aussi bon de les écouter ,souvenirs souvenirs,trop bon !!!!😉🙏🏼
MOCCOBA TV info
Cet album live survivra avec le temps. Toure Kunda c'est toujours top,top,top!
Franco
Le meilleur album World Music Live jamais réalisé ...cet album est intemporel, il t'embarque dès les premières notes pour ne plus te lâcher jusqu'à ce morceau d'anthologie qu'est Emma ...un album que tout amateur de musique se doit de connaître !!
Yah Arrow
Man oh man. I love this song. The intro to the outro. They were killing it. I would have love to be at that concert. I think I was only ten then. Oh well, I can always remix the song and jam it up at the BET awards. You know, show em some culture. Lol
Franck Maixendeau
Super groupe ,merci Touré Kunda
Jérémie AKOMIAN
Touré Kunda le 1er groupe Reggae que mon frère Jules m'a fait découvrir...simplement merveilleux!
bruno dutruge
Jérémie AKOMIAN c.est pas du reggae...
Catherine Jacquin
J'ai le 33 tours, qu'est ce que j'ai pu l'écouter.Tout l'album est vraiment super..
alassane seka
genial de generation en generation toure kunda restera dans toutes les memoires.grand merci
moussa diedhiou
Merci les Touré kounda je vous écoute tous les jours et vous me rendez heureux