Alpha Blondy is a popular Ivorian singer and musician often compared to Bob Marley for his affiliation with the reggae movement. His natural charisma, political engagement, and fervor on stage have earned him international recognition for over 30 years. "Brigadier Sabari" is one of his most well-known pieces and certainly one of his greatest hits.

Alpha Blondy was born in Ivory Coast, in Dimbokro, in 1953. The eldest of nine children, he was raised by a loving grandmother. His upbringing, surrounded by elderly women, greatly influenced his musical work: he learned the most widely spoken language in West Africa, Dioula, and the values instilled in him, such as never lying and prioritizing truth above all.

In 1962, Alpha Blondy joined his parents in Odienné, where his father worked for the French Company of Ivory Coast (CFCI). He spent 10 years there, during which, at the age of 19, he became the president of the local section of the Movement of Ivorian Students and Students, known as MEECI. At this time, he was nicknamed Elvis Blondy. Alpha Blondy left Odienné to study in Korhogo and formed his first band, the Atomic Vibrations, consisting of Price on guitar, Pop Touré on drums, and Diallo Salia on bass.

In 1973, Alpha Blondy left Ivory Coast to study in Liberia, where he could more easily learn the English language. It took him three years to arrive in New York City, during which he perfected his English, composed numerous songs – such as "Come Back Jesus" – and solidified his identity by dropping "Elvis" from his pseudonym and signing his letters and correspondences as Blondy.

In late 1973, Alpha Blondy was in New York, where his dream became a reality. Eager to improve his English and encouraged by his parents back home, he enrolled at the Geneva School of Business for a three-month course in commercial English, then at Hunter College, and finally passed the tests to enter the American Language Program at the prestigious Columbia University. In New York, Alpha Blondy, the African, met many figures in the Caribbean and Jamaican movement, which was his first exposure to Rasta philosophy. In 1976, he attended a Burning Spear concert in Central Park, an experience that left a lasting impression on him. Over the next two years, Alpha Blondy studied at Columbia University while working various jobs. However, feeling tired and unwell, struggling with the hectic pace of the Big Apple and its very cold winters, he went to join his friend Oullaï Joachim in Waco, Texas.

To make ends meet, Alpha Blondy worked in a factory, but his desire to play and compose music was so strong that he managed to get a job with a distributor of Christian music, the largest in the world. This new job allowed him to devote more time to composing his songs.

His encounter with Clive Hunt, leader of the Abyssinians and a prodigious Jamaican reggae musician, encouraged Alpha Blondy to leave Waco. He quickly started opening for concerts for The Sylvesters, who performed throughout New York State.

During his concerts, Alpha Blondy played his own compositions such as "Burned Down The Apartheid" and "Bory Samory," as well as covers of Bob Marley songs like "War," which he performed in French.

Alpha Blondy relied on Clive Hunt to launch his career, as Hunt had already produced an album with the Abyssinians, worked with Max Romeo, a well-known Jamaican reggae singer, and recorded a solo album under the name Lizzard. Together, they recorded eight tracks at Eagle Sound Studio in Brooklyn, which unfortunately never saw the light of day due to lack of a producer.

In 1980, discouraged by four unsuccessful and disappointing years in the United States, Alpha Blondy returned to Ivory Coast with a heavy heart. He settled in Abidjan, staying with friends. At that time, he adopted the name Alpha Blondy for good. He met Ghanaian musicians in the Adjamé ghetto and played with them at the Bracodi Bar.

In 1981, Alpha Blondy made his first television appearance, thanks to Roger Fulgence Kassy, a talented television host considered the mentor of many Ivorian artists at the time. They had been friends since childhood, and although they both prepared for the RTI competition in 1973, only Roger Fulgence Kassy succeeded. When Alpha Blondy returned from his American journey, very downcast, Roger Fulgence Kassy was still working for Ivorian radio, where he held an influential position. Alpha Blondy seized the opportunity and participated in the television show "Première Chance," performing four songs: a cover of Burning Spear's "Christophe Columbus" and three of his own compositions: "Bintou Were were," "Dounougnan," and "The End."

In 1982, Roger Fulgence Kassy's intuition proved correct. Alpha Blondy captivated viewers, and the public's enthusiasm encouraged Ivorian producer George Benson to produce his first album, "Jah Glory," which included the hit "Brigadier Sabary." From then on, Alpha Blondy adhered to the rules his grandmother instilled in him: never to lie.

With the powerful and reproachful song "Brigadier Sabary," Alpha Blondy sought to denounce police violence and the violent practices it employs. He is a militant singer who denounces injustices and never minces his words.

"Brigadier Sabary" became a tremendous success in Ivory Coast and throughout West Africa, and even in French-speaking European countries. To this day, Alpha Blondy performs this song at every concert. From then on, Alpha Blondy's career took off. He recorded album after album until reaching the pinnacle of success.

In 1986, Alpha Blondy recorded "Jérusalem" at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, where The Wailers, Bob Marley's musicians, resided. This album was a milestone for the artist, who had embraced Rasta philosophy and played Afro/reggae for over 10 years.

Even though he is often compared to his mentors Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, or Jimmy Cliff, Alpha Blondy developed his own style over the years, always infused with African music and rhythms. What sets him apart from other African and reggae artists is his relentless commitment to the causes of the African continent.

Traveling the world, he attends festivals worldwide to sing about his struggle, deliver a message of peace, and denounce crises caused by civil wars that ravage his country, Ivory Coast. Despite the risks associated with his positions, he still lives in Abidjan and is today a peace messenger for the United Nations (UN) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).