Guinean singer and musician Mory Kanté, known for the global hit "Yéké yéké" in the 1980s, died Friday at the age of 70 in a hospital in Conakry, his son Balla Kanté announced. Mory Kanté died "around 9.45 this morning at the Sino-Guinean hospital", according to her son. "He suffered from chronic illnesses and often traveled to France for treatment, but with the coronavirus it was no longer possible," he added.
"We saw his condition deteriorate quickly, but I was still surprised because he had already gone through much worse times," he said. The singer, nicknamed the "electric griot", helped popularize African and Guinean music around the world. "Yéké Yéké", released in 1987, has sold millions of copies and reached the heights of charts in many countries.