Tiken Jah Fakoly
+ James BKS
Tiken Jah Fakoly civ
Ivory Coast’s Tiken Jah Fakoly is one of the leading names in the contemporary roots reggae scene and a true icon to the African youth. He started making music at a young age and has worked with artists like Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, Zebda, Steel Pulse, Bernard Lavilliers and Akon in the years since. In 20 years he’s built an amazing legacy, featuring over 10 albums that each share an important societal message. Tiken Jah Fakoly doesn’t avoid sensitive themes and uses a healthy dose of arrogance to make things happen, as he does on his latest album ‘Le Monde est Chaud’, on which he tackles global warming. The music remains center stage though and Fakoly throws the best parties wherever he performs. We’re glad to see him again!
James BKS fr
As a producer, James BKS left his mark on records by Snoop Dogg, Akon, Sean Combs, Ja Rule and other greats from the hip-hop world. With success, but less and less with love. He decided to take back control of his creative process. No more beats for others, from now on James BKS works for himself and as a multi-tasker he immediately takes charge of the entire process: composition, production, singing, but also artistic and business management. After an unexpected reunion with his father, the well-known Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango, his artistic vision also takes a new turn. He immerses himself in the Douala culture, Bulu and Bikutsi rhythms and adds a pan-African melting pot to his pop and hip-hop background.
The ‘nouveau‘ James BKS is one of the great emerging talents in France, mixing Malian guitars with Nigerian basses and Congolese brass instruments and inviting Q-Tip, Lil Simz and Idris Elba for guest vocals. His characteristic mix of hip-hop, afro-pop and roots is generous, danceable and looks both to tradition and to the future. Just like his father did decades ago. To discover!