Guinean musician, Mory Kante, who helped introduce African music to the global scene in the 1980s, has died. He was 70. 

The ‘Yeke Yeke’ crooner died in hospital on Friday in the Guinea capital, Conakry, and his son, Balla Kanté confirmed the sad news.

Balla told the AFP news agency that his father’s death resulted from health problems that had been left untreated due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

He said: “He suffered from chronic illnesses and often travelled to France for treatment but that was no longer possible with the coronavirus.

“We saw his condition deteriorate rapidly, but I was still surprised because he’d been through much worse times before,” he said.

The demised Kante, started his career in the 1970s as a member of the Rail Band.

He was famously known for his 1987 song ‘Yeke Yeke’; which became a number one hit in countries all over Europe in 1988. 

In any case, ‘Yeke Yeke’ became the first African record to sell over one million copies and was given a special remix for the UK; named the Afro Acid Mix.

Some of his renowned albums include ‘Mory Kanté a Paris,’ ‘Akwaba Beach’, ‘Touma’ and ‘Nongo Village.’

The President of Guinea, Alpha Condé, has paid tribute to Mory Kante and praised him for his “exceptional” career.

He wrote, “#Mory_Kante African culture is in mourning. My most sad condolences…Thank you, artist. An exceptional course.