SALIF KEITA AGAINST ALL ODDS

Salif Keita, born in Djoliba, Mali 1949, is a internationally renowned afro-pop singer-songwriter and a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire,Sundiata Keita.This royal heritage meant that he should never have become a singer, which was deemed to be a groit story teller's role. He was outcast by his family and ostracized by the community because he was an albino, a sign of bad luck in Mandinka culture. As a child he suffered greatly from social isolation, and was even kicked out of school because of his albinism. Today, he is known around the world as the Golden Voice of Africa and has been cited as “perhaps the greatest talent Africa has ever produced”. With his multiple world music grammy nominations, he is also considered one the world’s most popular artist.

His first major US breakthrough into the mainstream audiences was a prominent feature on the soundtrack to Will Smith’s blockbuster movie ‘Ali’, an homage to boxing Legend Muhammad Ali. In 2003, Salif Keita maintained his status as an international sensation with his 2003 release called Moffou composed with rhythms that blend African, Spanish, Portuguese and other sounds. Moffou is also the name of the club the singer built in the Malian capital of Bamako to promote West African artists and music.

In December 2004, he was named United Nations Ambassador for Music and Sports and dedicated himself to causes like Malaria, AIDS and the plight of Albinos in Mali and around the world. With his youngest daughter, Natenin born albino in 2005 and with the loss of his albino sister from skin cancer a decade prior, Keita founded The Salif Keita Global Foundation to raise money for free healthcare and educational services for Albinos in Africa and around the world. The Foundation is building a hospital and school in Mali and will also participate in environmentally-friendly projects, as well as programs to eradicate poverty, Malaria, AIDS and unemployment.

Salif Keita Global Foundation

Salif Keita Official Web Site