Tiken Jah Fakoly, exiled from the Ivory Coast, uses his lyrics to tackle issues of poverty, discrimination and corruption. He released his most recent album L’Africain in September 2007. The album includes the track, Open the Frontiers in which he talks about Africa being left behind, exposing the hypocrisy of border controls that allow free movement for Europeans but not Africans.
Tiken Jah Fakoly, will receive his award in person from Marie Korpe at the Festival of World Music Cultures at Dun Laoghaire on 23rd August.
Author: Jill Turner
Jill Turner contributes to Songlines Magazine, World Music Central and is on the fRoots critics albums of the year panel. Her radio show GondwanaSound broadcasts on Sheffield Live! 93.2FM to the fourth largest city in the UK and is carried on both Radio Groovalizacion and African Internet Radio.
