Takana Zion

New Album Few Words

His project, Few Words, follows directly in the footsteps of Human Supremacy, his most recent Jamaican experience. However, it was primarily conceived in France, with the help of musician Jason Wilson as producer and arranger. "He doesn't mess around with sound. When you hear it, you get the impression it's a Jamaican," notes Takana. Behind the drums for Alpha Blondy for several years, the drummer (not to be confused with his namesake, also involved in reggae, but a pianist residing in Canada) assembled an experienced team for the occasion, tasked with re-recording and enriching the demos sent from Conakry by the singer.

Several collaborations were recorded, notably with Warrior King, a leading figure in the reggae scene for the past two decades. “He’s a very humble artist who shares my values,” emphasizes the Guinean, who invited his Caribbean counterpart to the first edition of the Nimba Reggae Festival in September 2025 – he had already brought in Sizzla, another reggae icon, in 2015. On “Kerempeti,” whose lyrics praise the ancestors of Haile Selassie, a central figure in the Rastafari movement, he shares the mic with Xuman. “A brother for over 24 years who has been an inspiration to African youth,” he says, explaining the presence of this pioneer of Senegalese rap, an original member of Pee Froiss. Psalms and Nyabinghi
The influence of elders, whether conscious or not, is sometimes subtly present: while Alpha Blondy has been beginning his concerts for decades with Psalm 23 from the Bible, Takana Zion has chosen other excerpts from the Book of Psalms as the intro to this new album, having entrusted the reading to his children. The devout Rastafarian follows with "Hosanna," a text that evokes "the Christ-like nature of Emperor Haile Selassie, his coronation, Ethiopian saints such as Gabra Masqual or Abouna Petros [an Orthodox bishop executed by the Italians in 1936, editor's note], and the emperor's mother, Woizero Yeshimebet Ali."

Musically, this track adopts the conventions of nyabinghi, a subgenre of reggae. "This ancient Rastafarian tradition wishes death upon white oppressors and their Black allies." “It’s music of purification, of initiation into spirituality. Going to meet one’s own divinity, going deep into one’s own depths to find true inner peace—that’s the power of nyabinghi,” he explains.

From one world to another
A complete change of scenery with Black Mafia 10 and 11, which Takana Zion is releasing simultaneously. “One volume is Afrobeats and soul, and the other has a more hip-hop and dancehall feel,” explains the singer, who collaborated with Ivorian beatmaker Mr Le Juif (who produced “Gnonmi avec lait” for Fior 2 Bior).

Beyond appearances, the Guinean artist is trying to find a logical transition and coherence in his multifaceted artistic approach. “You have to use the beats and sounds that young people love to convey a message and touch them, so they understand. Knowledge is one thing, knowing how to transmit it is another.” Not everyone has the same feeling. If you use reggae, sometimes it puts them to sleep,” he explains. In the 21st century, being a Rastafarian can take unexpected turns.

TAKANA ZION

New single Ye Tinsera

Ye Tinsera, meaning "keeping your head above water," is the second single from Few Words, the new album by Takana Zion. On this spiritual roots reggae track, Takana Zion offers a prayer to God and the forces of nature to find the strength to overcome obstacles. An anthem of resilience, faith, and hope, it reminds us that even in the midst of hardship, there is always a way forward. This music gives courage and encourages us to keep our heads above water, carried by the forces of eternity and nature.

TAKANA ZION

Single Few Words feat. Warrior King

1st extract from the album “Few Words"