Mory Kante is a celebrated Guinean singer and kora harpist whose hit “Ye ke ye ke” (1987) broke records as the first African single to sell over one million copies.
Early Days
Raised among the Mandinka people in Guinea, Kante grew up surrounded by music; his parents, Fatouma Kamissoko and El Hadj Djeli Fode Kante, were both renowned musicians who nurtured his early talent. In the early 1970s he performed with the local ensemble Rail Band.
Fun Facts
In 2001, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He also appeared as a guest on DJ Darren Tate’s “Narama” radio show in 2006.
Family Life
Kante comes from a musical lineage; both his mother and father were respected performers, which shaped his career path and artistic vision.
Collaborations With
His international exposure includes work with global media personalities such as DJ Darren Tate, while his early band experience ties him to the influential Rail Band collective of Guinea.