Kéké Kassiry was born on March 11, 1954 in Treichville, a commune of Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire. After arriving in France in 1980, he developed a passion for music and the desire for an artistic career. The latter began in 1982 with the album N'né Ménika, featuring drummer Paco Séry, musician Nel Oliver and singer Jocelyne Béroard, and supported by Paco Rabanne Design. On the strength of this first record, with its pronounced funk accents, Kassiry re-recorded and unveiled his second album, Afrika, the following year in 1983. The tracks were a hit and resonated internationally, where Kassiry became a representative of the gnama-gnama style, a sentimental dance music also performed by the singer Daouda. Kéké Kassiry decided to return to Côte d'Ivoire and set up his own studio in the Marcory district of Abidjan. He then went on to compose with his album Abidjan (1986), whose melodies resonated nationally and established its author. After a few years of production silence, the singer returned with Initiation (1996), which failed to achieve the success he had hoped for, and then saw all his equipment go up in smoke in a fire in 1997. Deeply affected by this event, Kassiry's career took a hit, and he kept a low profile on the music scene. He gradually returned to the stage with a group, Passion, with whom he organized several concerts. Kéké Kassiry is also known for his relationship with singer Tina Glamour, which became public after the early death of their daughter Bébé Carla in 2022.
