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| Mory Kanté: African music star dies aged 70 | Mory Kanté: African music star dies aged 70 |
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| The singer Mory Kanté, who helped bring African music to world audiences with hits like Yéké Yéké, has died in Guinea. | The singer Mory Kanté, who helped bring African music to world audiences with hits like Yéké Yéké, has died in Guinea. |
| Kanté died in hospital on Friday in the capital, Conakry, aged 70, his son Balla Kanté told the AFP news agency. | Kanté died in hospital on Friday in the capital, Conakry, aged 70, his son Balla Kanté told the AFP news agency. |
| His death was the result of untreated health problems, he said. | His death was the result of untreated health problems, he said. |
| "He suffered from chronic illnesses and often travelled to France for treatment but that was no longer possible with the coronavirus," he added. | "He suffered from chronic illnesses and often travelled to France for treatment but that was no longer possible with the coronavirus," he added. |
| "We saw his condition deteriorate rapidly, but I was still surprised because he'd been through much worse times before." | "We saw his condition deteriorate rapidly, but I was still surprised because he'd been through much worse times before." |
| Born in a famous family of "griots" - West African musicians and storytellers - he had been nicknamed "the electronic griot", and was known as a distinguished player of kora - a west African harp. | |
| His song Yéké Yéké became a huge hit in the late 1980s and was widely remixed. | |
| Tributes were paid by fellow musicians on Friday, including Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour who said he felt a huge void on learning of Kanté's death and called the late singer "a baobab of African culture". | Tributes were paid by fellow musicians on Friday, including Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour who said he felt a huge void on learning of Kanté's death and called the late singer "a baobab of African culture". |
| The president of Guinea, Alpha Condé, said on Twitter that African culture was in mourning. He thanked Kanté, saying his career had been "exceptional". | The president of Guinea, Alpha Condé, said on Twitter that African culture was in mourning. He thanked Kanté, saying his career had been "exceptional". |
| Kanté is the latest prominent African musician to pass away, after the recent deaths of Manu Dibango, Tony Allen and Idir. |