Mory Kanté

Mory Kanté (born in Kissidougou, Guinea, on 29 March 1950; died 22 May 2020) was an acclaimed Guinean vocalist and player of the kora harp. He is best remembered internationally for his 1987 hit song "Yé ké yé ké", which reached number-one in Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, and Spain. The album it came from, Akwaba Beach, was the best-selling African record of its time.

Kanté was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot (hereditary) musicians. After being brought in the Mandinka griot tradition in Guinea, he was sent to Mali at the age of seven years – where he learned to play the kora, as well as important voice traditions, some of which are necessary to become a griot.