N'Dour was born in Medina in Dakar, Senegal, in 1959 and started his music career singing in small clubs in Dakar in the Wolof language, which is predominantly spoken in Senegal and Gambia. He's most popular for his mbalax beat which gave him the title "Roi de Mbalax" (King of Mbalax), and is a household name in Senegal, Gambia and neighbouring countries in West Africa with a long list of hits from the early days in the 70s to date.
In 1979, he formed his own ensemble, the Etoile de Dakar. His early work with Etoile de Dakar was in the typical Latin style popular all over Africa during that time, but in the 1980s he developed a unique sound when he started his current group, Super Etoile de Dakar, featuring Jimi Mbaye on guitar, bassist Habib Faye, and tama (talking drum) player Assane Thiam.
N'Dour was introduced to the Western audience when Peter Gabriel had him appear on his 'So' album (in 1986) and theb took N'Dour and The Super Etoile de Dakar on the road with him in a subsequent world tour. N'Dour has also collaborated with a lengthy list of influential artists including Paul Simon, Neneh Cherry, and Branford Marsalis.
He is endowed with remarkable range and poise, a composer, bandleader, and producer with a prodigious musical intelligence. The New York Times most recently described his voice as an "arresting tenor, a supple weapon deployed with prophetic authority". N'Dour absorbs the entire Senegalese musical spectrum in his work, often filtering this through the lens of genre-defying rock or pop music from outside Senegalese culture.
Youssou N´Dour is currently the new minister of Culture of Senegal as a reward for his campaign against the former president of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade who was defeated by Macky Sall in February 2012.
Beykat
Youssou N'Dour Lyrics
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Youssou N
'dour
"Beykat" is the title of a song that was released by Youssou N'dour in his album "Set," in 1990. The song is written in the Wolof language, which is the native language of Senegal. The lyrics of the song are about the importance of living in harmony with nature and not exploiting its resources. The word "Beykat" means "exploit" or "apply excessive force," and as the lyrics suggest, when people "beykat" the earth, they will suffer the consequences. The song advocates for responsible behavior towards the environment and offers a message of hope for a brighter future where people live in harmony with nature.
In the first verse of the song, Youssou N'dour sings "Senegal nekk sa bopam sathi jalinka" which translates to "Senegal, our land of happy people." He then goes on to describe the beauty of the land, sea, and sky but emphasizes that it is the responsibility of every citizen to take care of the environment. He points out the danger of exploiting natural resources for short-term gain and highlights the long-term consequences of such actions. The chorus of the song repeatedly states "Naniou beykat," which can be translated to "Don't exploit."
Overall, the song "Beykat" is a powerful call to action for everyone to take responsibility for the environment and not exploit its resources. It is a reminder that we are all connected to the earth and that we must work together to preserve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Beykat, Mulay Abdallah bakhna rassoul
Beykat, Mulay Abdallah is the messenger of God
Beykat, a-lawla khassdana
Beykat, we must first focus on ourselves
Beykat, li-llah ou li-dar al-Islam
Beykat, for God and for the home of Islam
Beykat, inna hadha-l-bayan ya'ti mina-l-birr
Beykat, this explanation comes from piety
Beykat, inna hadha-l-quran ya'ti mina-l-huda
Beykat, this Quran comes from guidance
Beykat, inna hadha-l-quran ya'ti mina-l-hikma
Beykat, this Quran comes from wisdom
Beykat, Mulay Abdallah bakhna rassoul
Beykat, Mulay Abdallah is the messenger of God
Contributed by Liliana V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@isaackofisarpong2391
Golden song... Love from Ghana 🇬🇭
@essenolanekakou7854
je l'ai enfin trouvée la chanson de mon enfance!!!!!😊😊😝😝❤❤❤
@SamsonMugo
maestro!