When Bob Marley passed away in 1981, there was much speculation as to who would rise to carry on his global message. Few expected the next messenger to arise from Africa but when Alpha Blondy created the beginnings of a world-wide reggae phenomenon from his Ivory Coast homeland, it made perfect sense. Marley had always looked to Africa for inspiration. Ironically, Alpha Blondy was inspired by Jamaica, as he generated a decidedly Marley-esque reggae style skewed by the sinuous modalities of West African Sahel. Like Marley, Blondy sang about struggle, revolution, peace, love and corruption but with an uncanny catchy melodicism. No wonder he became the first truly global reggae star after Marley. Now, with the release of Merci, Alpha Blondy celebrates twenty years as a recording artist with one of the strongest albums of his career.

Alpha Blondy was born Sedou Kone in Dimbroko, Ivory Coast in 1953. He was raised by his grandmother who imparted knowledge from the Koran as well as traditional Dioula morality. It was she who gave him the nickname "Blondy", a version of the Diola word for "bandit", after he was thrown out of school for forming his own band. He added the name "Alpha", which meant "beginning" or "first", hence his name means "first bandit." As a young man he spent two years studying English at Columbia University in New York, often performing reggae in the streets and in Harlem clubs. Leading Jamaican producer Clive Hunt heard him singing Bob Marley songs and recorded six tracks with him that were not released. An altercation with the Ivorian ambassador in New York led to his arrest when he returned home to the Ivory Coast; there a fight with a policeman led to jail. He finally was released and launched his career in earnest.

Alpha Blondy, the Rasta of Cocody, heavily influenced by the music of Bob Marley, Blondy considered himself a Rasta at an early age. So early, in fact, that he recorded six Reggae tunes while still in his teens. Blondy's parents were so concerned about his devotion to Reggae and the Rasta lifestyle that they committed him to a psychiatric hospital for two years! Early in 1970 Reggae began to be popular in West Africa and Blondy's popularity grew to the point where, in the early '80s he recorded his first single, Brigidier Sabari. In 1983, he followed with his first album, Jah Glory and began touring all over Africa. It was at this point that Alpha made a pilmrimage to Jamaica to record with The Wailers at Tuff Gong Studios. The results of his efforts were the huge hit album, Cocody Rock, followed by Jerusalem and then Apartheid is Nazism. Blondy sings in Dioula, English, French, Arabic, and Hebrew. His band, The Solar System, is likewise international, with members hailing from Cameroon, England, France, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, and Togo. Alpha Blondy and The Solar System are tight and hot, and Alpha's status as the premiere African Reggae star is richly deserved.

This item will be released on August 30, 2005.

01. Sweet sweet (feat. Lester Bilal)
02. Brigadier sabari
03. Yana de fohi (feat. Magic System)
04. Apartheid is nazism
05. Cocody rock (feat. Neg’Marrons)
06. Jerusalem
07. Banana poyo (remix)
08. Black samourai
09. Rasta poue
10. Travailler c’est trop dur (feat. Mokobe du 113)
11. Rendez-vous (cool summer mix 2005)
12. Assinie mafia
13. Masada
14. Wari (feat. Samuel & Leeroy de Saian Supa Crew)
15. Young guns (feat. UB40)
16. Sweet Fanta Diallo