Étoile de Dakar was a Senegalese music group from Dakar, formed in 1978 by guitarist Badou Ndiaye and other members of the Star Band following a dispute with bandleader Ibra Kasse. The group featured singers Youssou N'Dour and El Hadji Faye, as well as singer Mar Seck and bassist Kabou Gueye, with guitarist Jimi Mbaye later joining around 1980 to replace Ndiaye. The band played an important part in the evolution of Senegalese popular music, helping incorporate elements of traditional Senegalese music into the popular Latin-influenced dance styles to create the genre known as mbalax. Their song “Jalo” was included on the 1981 Island Records compilation Sound d'Afrique, which introduced African music to Western audiences. Due to internal problems, the group split in 1981 into Étoile 2000 and Super Étoile de Dakar, with N'Dour eventually evolving the latter into a backing band.
