Legendary activist and Afrobeat originator, Fela Kuti, used his music to lament social injustices and political corruption in his native Nigeria. Fela’s legacy spans decades and genres, touching on jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop, rock, and beyond. While this impact can be felt in Nigeria and the entire world, it also greatly affected Fela’s son Femi and his son Made, both of whom carry his legacy as torchbearers for change.
Father, Femi and son, Made Kuti have just released a collaborative effort, an innovative package titled “Legacy +“, which includes one solo album from each artist, with Femi giving fans Stop The Hate and Made sharing For(e)ward.
Both albums that make up ‘Legacy +’ are steeped in the tradition of Afrobeat invented by Fela, but each also offers their own unique vision. Femi’s ‘Stop The Hate‘ honors Fela in a traditionally fun, sharply political, and affirming way. Meanwhile Made’s ‘For(e)ward’ is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing boundaries of the subgenre even further. Made also performs every instrument on his album. Both albums also feature portraits of Femi and Made, done by Brooklyn-based artist Delphine Desane, whose work was recently featured on the cover of Vogue Italia.
Watch the video of Made Kuti‘s “Your Enemy” – on this track, he turns a swirling and modern Afrobeat sound into an impassioned call for justice.
Watch the video of Made Kuti‘s “Free Your Mind“
Watch the video of Femi Kuti‘s “Pà Pá Pà“, which implores Nigerians to rail against the dishonesty of local politicians (“When government waste our time, government waste our life” he declares).
Watch the video of Femi Kuti‘s “As We Struggle Everyday“