Editing Alpha Blondy (section)

==Musical career==
{{BLP sources section|date=May 2017}}
After various TV shows for Kassi, Blondy recorded his first solo album in 1982, entitled ''Jah Glory''. This album was to have enormous success and would become later a symbol of resistance because of the song "Brigadier Sabari," which documents his experience of being arrested in Abidjan in the 1980s and his subsequent mistreatment by the police.<ref>{{cite web|last=Barz|first=Gregory F.|title=Blondy, Alpha|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/49765?q=alpha+blondy&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1|publisher=Oxford Music Online|access-date=15 October 2013}}</ref> Alpha Blondy became a big star in [[Abidjan]] with his African twist of Reggae music, becoming in the eyes of his fans "the [[Bob Marley]] of Africa".<ref name="Emmanuel K. Akyeampong">{{cite book|title=Blondy, Alpha|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195382075.001.0001/acref-9780195382075-e-0352|publisher=Oxford Reference|access-date=15 October 2013|author=Emmanuel K. Akyeampong|author2=Henry Louis Gates|date=January 2011 |isbn=978-0-19-538207-5 }}</ref> Alpha Blondy is spiritual, political and positive just like Marley himself, and recorded a cover of Bob Marley's song "[[War (Bob Marley song)|War]]". In order to reach more people with his message, he chose to sing in many languages: English; French; [[Baoulé language|Baoulé]], and his native language – Dioula.<ref name="Emmanuel K. Akyeampong" /> Later, he also brought new instrumentation to his brand of reggae such as the [[violin]] and [[cello]].

Soon, the fame of Alpha Blondy spread to Europe. Following the success of an [[Extended play|EP]] entitled ''Rasta Poué'', he went to [[Paris]] in 1984 to make his second album, ''Cocody Rock'', with the label Pathe Marconi. Blondy travelled to the island of Jamaica and recorded the title track of this album with Marley's backing group, [[Wailers Band|The Wailers]].

Back home in 1985, Blondy went into the studio to record ''[[Apartheid Is Nazism (Alpha Blondy album)|Apartheid Is Nazism]]''; the title song was a call for the end of apartheid. In 1986, he recorded “Jerusalem” at [[Tuff Gong]] studios in Jamaica, again with The Wailers featuring legendary [[Aston "Family Man" Barrett]]. Blondy tried to promote unity between the religion of [[Islam]], [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]]. He drew his arguments and inspiration from his own diverse knowledge of the [[Bible]], the [[Quran]], and the [[Torah]]. That same year, he sang in Hebrew during a concert in [[Morocco]]. At this point, he was continuously touring. His new album ''Revolution'' had a lighter, gentler sound; this album featured cellos in the instrumentation, and the line-up included veteran Ivory Coast singer [[Aicha Kone]]. The album also included "Jah Houphouët parle", a long speech by Ivory Coast president [[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] with only the most minimal beat behind it.

Blondy spent the years 1987–89 giving concerts and recording ''SOS Guerre Tribale'' in [[Abidjan]]. This was promoted by Blondy himself, as he was distancing himself from Pathe Marconi at this stage. This was not to be a real success but it did not deter Blondy and in 1991 he returned to Europe for a concert tour and to record his famous album ''Masada'' with the help of musical legends such as Bocana Maiga and UK reggae producer [[Dennis Bovell]]. The album, with its hit single "Rendez Vous", was a huge success, and Blondy was later to receive his first [[Gold Disc]] in Paris.

At the beginning of 1993, worn out from a world tour, Blondy succumbed to depression and was taken into an institution for [[psychiatric]] help. But as his health recovered he recorded the album ''Dieu'' ("God"), on which he appears more spiritual and religious, on tracks such as "Heal Me", about his illness and recovery.

Blondy's psychiatric treatment continued but on 10 December 1994, he was back with the festival in memory of [[Félix Houphouët-Boigny|President Houphouet]], and later he made his European comeback at a storming concert at Le Zenith in Paris. In 1996, Blondy released a hits compilation and went back into the studio to record the album ''Grand Bassam Zion'', singing in six languages: [[Malinke language|Malinke]]; [[Arabic language|Arabic]]; French; English; [[Ashanti Twi|Ashanti]] and [[Wolof language|Wolof]].

After two more years in Paris, Blondy returned to his homeland in 1998, with a new album, ''The Prophet''. Convinced his label was too focused on the international market, he decided to create his own label. Since then he has recorded albums and singles, such as "[[Yitzhak Rabin]]", in memory of the [[Israel]]i prime minister who was assassinated in 1995 (this was accompanied by a grueling tour of Europe), the single "Journaliste en Danger" from his 2000 album ''Elohim''.<ref name="Alpha Blondy Music"/>

Alpha Blondy celebrated 20 years as a recording artist with the 2002 release of CD ''MERCI'', featuring [[Ophelie Winter]] and [[Saian Supa Crew]], which earned him a 2003 [[Grammy Award]] nomination for "Best Reggae Album". However, due to the political situation in Ivory Coast, he was unable to personally attend the award ceremony in New York City. In an unprecedented move, the Grammy Awards permitted him to send a representative in his place of honour.
<!-- ref>{{cite web |title=The Living Legend |access-date=June 2007 |url=http://www.alphablondyjahgloryfoundation.org/livinglegend |publisher=alphablondyjahgloryfoundation.org}}</ref -->
In 2005 ''Akwaba'' was released.
His CD ''Jah Victory'' was released July 2007. It features [[Sly Dunbar]] and [[Robbie Shakespeare]], as well as [[Tyrone Downie]] formerly of Bob Marley and the Wailers. "Victory" is in honor of the peace agreement that was reached and implemented in the Ivory Coast in March 2007.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}} <!--ref>[http://www.princessalphablondyjahgloryfoundation.org princessalphablondyjahgloryfoundation.org]</ref-->

One of Blondy's most popular and successful songs was "[[Sébé Allah Y'é]]".

On 19 July 2009, Blondy performed at New York's Central Park before a crowd of many native Africans, Jamaicans, and Americans.

On 13 June 2010, a large crowd was allowed into a Blondy concert in the [[Ivory Coast]] to celebrate the peace and unity of the country. Overcrowded conditions at the concert resulted in at least 20 people being injured, two of whom died.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10303927.stm |title=Deaths reported at Ivory Coast Alpha Blondy concert |work=BBC News |date=13 June 2010 |access-date=3 April 2012}}</ref>

On 27 June 2010, Alpha Blondy was the closing act at [[Parkpop]], [[The Hague, Netherlands]]. He replaced [[Snoop Dogg]] and [[Beenie Man]].

Blondy has also been an important influence on other African reggae artists such as [[Ismaël Isaac]].<ref name="Ivoire music">{{cite web|url=http://www.ivoire-music.com/Francais/Cat_Fr/CatI_Fr/IsmaelIsaac_Fr.htm|title=Ismaël Isaac|publisher=ivoire-music.com|access-date=17 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029103822/http://www.ivoire-music.com/Francais/Cat_Fr/CatI_Fr/IsmaelIsaac_Fr.htm|archive-date=October 29, 2009|url-status=dead|language=fr|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In November 2014 singer/songwriter Jonathan Wilson released an EP called ''Slide By'' featuring the song "Alpha Blondy Was King".

Released in January 2015, the [[Roots Reggae Library]] featured an edition on Alpha Blondy with interpretations and translations of songs in all languages, including those in [[Dioula language|Dioula]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.roots-reggae-library.com/2015/01/alpha-blondy.html|title=Alpha Blondy|access-date = 21 January 2015|website = roots-reggae-library.com}}</ref>

In February 2023, Blondy Performed in front of home crowd at the [[Alassane Ouattara Stadium]] in Abidjan for the closing ceremony of  the [[2023 Africa Cup of Nations|2023 African Cup of Nations]]. Blondy performed two songs, Sebe Allah Ye and his anthem, Cocody Rock.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HToJ9LMJzc |title=AFCON 2023: Alpha Blondy dazzles closing ceremony along with breathtaking fireworks display! |date=2024-02-11 |last=DanielKoranteng |access-date=2024-08-05 |via=YouTube}}</ref>