Koko Dembele hails from Mali. He comes from a family of griots, where he learned percussion at an early age and was culturally nourished by the various oral traditions of the Dogons, Peuls and Bozos. These traditions have given him a wealth of cultural, human and musical experience. Koko Dembele is one of the pioneers of reggae in Mali. He is also the leader of the Rasta movement. Born in 1954 in Mopti (675km east of Bamako) on the banks of the Niger and its tributary the Bani, he has been immersed in many African cultures. He comes from a family of griots, which predestined him to make music, first as a percussionist. With his melodious voice and virtuoso guitar and percussion skills, he collaborated with Boncana Maïga "Maestro", leading to the album Baguinée. This was followed by the albums Amagni in 1997 and Tieba in 2018, including the famous track "La Plaie de l'Afrique".