Home > Baltimore Music > CD Review > Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80, 'Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80'

Backstory: “Many Things” is the debut album from 24-year-old Seun Kuti from Nigeria, but he’s no newcomer to music. He’s actually led Egypt 80, his late father Fela Kuti’s band, for the past decade, and first performed with Dad at the age of eight.

Why you should care: Fela Kuti has often been dubbed the “James Brown of Africa” for his innovative Afro-beat music, a blend of groove and protest. Though Fela’s work still holds up well today and there are more than enough re-issues and best-ofs to keep fans happy, his youngest son Seun does his part to ensure that the tradition continues. Seun also stays of-the-moment by adding a dash of hip-hop spice into the mix.

Verdict: Political corruption in Africa has gotten exceedingly worse since Fela’s era, and Seun is equally vocal about it, taking out his frustration on the beats. Kuti isn’t a pretend thug like so many rappers are, and he’s definitely pretty gangster as he calls out Nigeria’s political leaders throughout the album (with titles like “Don’t Give That S--- to Me” and “African Problems”). He has taken influence from rap music’s frenetic rhythms and cut-and-paste sample style and duplicated its energy on songs like “Fire Dance,” and the Afro-beat/hip-hop hybrid is kinetic.

X-Factor: Music is still a family affair with the Kuti sons, but it’s not as tight-knit as you might think. Seun Kuti’s half-brother Femi Kuti (who is more than 20 years his senior) makes Afro-beat music as well, and the two have played at the same shows, but they have never collaborated on songs together.

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