Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Seun Anikulapo Kuti

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Original Release Date: June 24, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Disorient
• ASIN: B00195FUHI
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,662 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Music > World Music > Africa > Nigeria
  #64 in	Music > Dance & Electronic > World Dance

Track Listings

1. Many Things

2. Na Oil

3. Don't Give That Shit to Me

4. Fire Dance

5. Think Afrika

6. Mosquito Song

7. African Problems

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Seun Kuti is the son of Fela Kuti, Africa's greatest musician and inventor of Afrobeat. From the opening bars of the self-titled debut from Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 - ideas, words, and notes whiz about with abandon. The Afrobeat magic is set in motion while the delirious, unrelenting groove machine carries us away without missing a moment. For this debut album and full North American summer tour, Seun is leading the legendary Egypt 80 orchestra, his father's last band. Egypt 80 have been together for over two decades and it shows in every note: the cohesion and absolutely mesmeric precision of the rhythmic reflexes down to the thousandth of a second that makes their ultra-syncopated polyphony the perfect 'swing' model.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pure Afrobeat, November 25, 2008

By	orhon (ma usa) - See all my reviews

I was a little skeptical when I first bought this album. I wasn't sure that faith in a last name would bring the funk, but this album delivers in a major kind of way. Every song is distinct in its own way. Buy this if you have any sort of attraction to anything even remotely resembling afrobeat. Its great stuff. "Many Things" starts the album off with a more chilled-out groove that picks up into some powerful rhythmic glory. The greatness keeps going until the very end. "Africa Problems" is, in my opinion, one of the best afrobeat songs that I have ever heard. Seun has a message and he's not afraid to deliver it. And the music is great. Buy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Political Party Music, February 20, 2009

By	Julio Punch "Julio Punch" (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

A smaller version of Fela Kuti's Egypt 80 band is currently fronted by the youngest son of the famed Afrobeat Creator. His name is Seun Kuti. Seun first played with Egypt 80 when he was 9 years old. But it is only now that Seun has released his first CD. And what a CD it is! This CD has everything that makes Afrobeat the unique style that it is: call and answer vocals, swirling hot rhythms, explosive horns and a certain repetitiveness that doesn't becomes irritating.

Here's my take on some of the songs. Many Things is an Afrobeat classic, if you can't get to like this song, you may give up on the genre altogether. Don't Give That Shit to Me is the closest thing to Fela Kuti's music to have been recorded since his death. Fire Dance is a party song with some studio programming touches. Mosquito Song has a fantastic imitation of a mosquito's buzzing with the trumpet. African Problems is a song with a decidedly Caribbean feel. It's also the lyrical high point of the album. While Seun's Pidgin is pretty heavy (some of the lyrics are partly intelligible) in this last song his message comes out loud and clear.

The musical tradition of Fela Kuti is continued by his two sons. This is Classic Afrobeat with a contemporary touch, if you're into Afrobeat this is a must buy. The CD comes with a booklet with lyrics.

Julio Punch (Webmaster of The Shrine: The Unofficial Website for Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti and Afrobeat Music)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars another son of Fela Kuti has risen, September 4, 2008

By	d.nice "d.real" (richmond,va) - See all my reviews

Seun Kuti picks up where his father(Fela Kuti) left off. The young saxaphones,bandleader and vocalist has produced a self titled debut that totally jams. Fela's old band the Egypt 80 is present and in full effect.
Femi(Seun older brother half brother and the flag bearer for Afro Beat music.) is not featured,however this music is more straight Afro Beat. (Femi due to his rising popularity abroad at times performs afro beat hybrids with members of the Roots,Common and others while this music stays straight to the afro beat feel.)The future of afro beat shall thrive,just check out this disc.