If you aren’t yet familiar with Kabey Konaté’s music, now is the time for you to discover this world reggae artist from Burkina Faso! He has opened for major artist like Tiken Jah Fakoly at the Jazz à Ouaga festival and Alpha Blondy in 2006, and has positioned himself as an ardent ambassador of Mande Africa in its rasta colours. His album Tama, named for the iconic African talking drum, is just further proof of this honoured position.

Lulled as a child by the songs of his griot mother and the music of his older brother Dramane Konaté, a great percussionist, Kabey took his first artistic steps in dance. He later participated in several events such as Mali’s Festival Historique du Manding and Reggae City. From festival to festival, starting in Burkina Faso’s northeast, he went on to fill national and international venues. Once in Canada, “Les Jounées d’Afrique” opened new doors for artistic collaborations, notably with Jamaican reggae artist, King Shadrock.

After his debut album Douaou, released in 2010, followed by the maxi-single Africa Elections in 2014, Kabey Konaté began to develop his own style of reggae and world music, never losing sight of his Mandinka heritage. True to the reggae spirit, he denounces political excesses as he sings for justice and democracy—demands that are as relevant today as ever….