by Mariano PrunesA leading reggae artist from Francophone Africa, Tiken Jah Fakoly is also one of its most articulate and outspoken voices. Censure, persecution, and exile (he fled his native Ivory Coast for Mali after receiving death threats, and he also has been declared persona non grata by the government of Senegal), have never prevented "Fakoly" from telling things as they are. His incisive, confrontational style contrasts with the more metaphorical or allusive lyrics of previous generations of African artists, and brings his persona closer to that of Bob Marley -- clearly Fakoly's main influence, both musically and thematically. L'Africain is mostly concerned with the sad fortunes of the African peoples and their diaspora, and their everyday struggle against injustice and exploitation, be it at home by their own corrupt administrations, or in Europe by their past colonial masters and a society growing more and more intolerant of immigrants …  » Read more