Tewodros Kassahun Germamo, known professionally as Teddy Afro, is an Ethiopian singer-songwriter. He is known for using his music to comment on the political climate of Africa, particularly his native Ethiopia.. His 2017 song "Ethiopia" has over 19 million views on YouTube.
Early life
Born in Addis Ababa in 1976, Teddy Afro made his debut in 2001 with the albumAbugida, quickly establishing himself as a prominent voice in his native country. Mixing reggae, traditional Ethiopian styles, and pop music, his sophomore LP, 2005's Yastesereyal yielded a major hit in its controversial title track, which criticized corruption in the country's government. The song "Dahlak" talks about the division of Ethiopia and Eritrea in terms of couples separating. Four of the album's songs were subsequently banned from media outlets, though "Yastesereyal" sales and influence remained strong. His second albumLebo was done in 2000 but released in 2002. His third album, Yasteseryal was released in 2005. This album was one of the most influential and controversial. Tedy Afro's brilliant lyrics and the release of this album coincided with the elevated political tension in Ethiopia surrounding the 2005 Ethiopian general election. The government banned four of his songs including "Yasteseryal" from playing on Ethiopian media outlets. Nonetheless, the album sold more than a million copies within a few months after its release. His fourth album, Tikur Sew was released in 2012. It is the most expensive and most widely sold album in Ethiopia after his fifth album Ethiopia. Teddy Afro's fifth album, Ethiopia, reached the top of the Billboard World Albums chart in May 2017, at which time more than 600,000 units had been sold.
Personal life
Kassahun lives in Addis Ababa. He is married to Ethiopian actress, model, and producer Amleset Muchie since 2012. They have two children, Michael Tewodros and Yemariam Tewodros.
Legal issues
Despite much controversy surrounding the issue, Tewodros Kassahun was jailed for two years in connection with an alleged hit-and-runincident during 2005 Ethiopian election.
