Shoki Shoki

Femi Kuti

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 15, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fontana Mca
• ASIN: B000044U4I
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,872 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Africa > Nigeria

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
Sure, Femi Kuti may not be adding any dramatic innovations to his father's patented Afrobeat grooves, but there are subtle modifications. More than that, however, the younger Kuti still has to execute the music's dynamic rhythms and buoyant ensemble horns. And he executes with flair and fury, writing and arranging the entire collection and emerging with an album that would make his father proud. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description
Debut Album from the Son of Afrobeat King Fela Kuti.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything You Hope It Could Be, February 22, 2000

By A Customer

As a longtime fan of Fela Kuti (my nominee for Greatest African Musical Artist of All Time), I knew I'd have to eventually purchase the debut album by his son, Femi, but I'd never been willing to pay import prices. It would have been worth it, but by waiting for the US release you get the benefit of three extra remixed tracks along with with what is undoubtedly a great album. Femi takes his father's afrobeat sound (it's still there, and forcefully) and updates it with more percussion, more aggressive keyboard programming, and a more manageable song length (7 instead of 17 minutes). It sounds like Son of Fela in every conceivable good way, highly recommended to any fan of African music or even any fan of good dance music. Great party music.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New Beginings, May 3, 2000

By A Customer

Femi Kuti debut album is a shocking blast from the past since vocally he sounds so similar to his father the late Fela Kuti. However don't let this fool you into thinking that " Shoki Shoki" is nothing but a rehash of a familiar sound. Because it is way ,way removed from that. Femi Kuti has experimented and blended western musical styles especially jazz funk, and Salsa with Juju beats to create a Nigerian fusion album which will appeal to jazz and World Music lovers alike. The album is fast pasted and furiously upbeat racing from one song to the next. Femi Kuti sings in English as well as Yoruba about Nigeria's political crisis as well as sex and having a good time. Which led to his song "beng beng, beng" being banned in Nigeria. This album is a dance album rather than listening music and therefore should be considered in the same vain as Carlos Santanas music which it resembles greatly towards the more mellow finale.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't overdo the son - father comparisons - Just Enjoy!, March 29, 2000

By	Abolaji Ogunshola "Realism exponent" (CT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Femi's sound is undeniable African and has a flavor similar to his father's music in that it has political messages and some similar instruments used in creating a lot of the music. However, his music is younger and definitely of this generation - more danceable, and in many ways more electronic/synthesized. The tracks are shorter and are structured towards today's music fan unlike his father who had 30 minute insturmental+vocal tracks. Most importantly, the sound establishes Femi as an artist in his own right! Comparing him to his father now, while inevitable, is simply a waste of time. His father stood for things that Femi may not stand for. If Femi stands for anything, let us discover this in his music, but not by trying to find the Fela in him.

Track 1, Truth Don Die, talks about the death of truth and Femi's belief that the world is upside down becos lies rule the world. Sounds simplsitic, but deserves some thought. Track 2, the highly danceable, funny and sexually motivated "Beng, Beng, Beng" is one of the album's highlights and is followed by a song "What will Tomorrow Bring?" that makes one briefly think of Fela's energy when listening to the introductory instumentation quality. "Blackman Know Yourself" reminds one of the black consciousness message songs that tried to instil people with black pride, but have dissappeared from today's music scene. My personal favorites are "Scata Your Head" and "Sorry Sorry", which will make Nigerians feel like they are in Lagos. THe remixes on the US albums are quite good too, though I Wonder why Dice Raw and not Black Thought did the honors on the Roots remix (Dice Raw is a very good lyricist, but Black Thought should have dropped something too) and the club remix of "Beng, Beng, Beng" sounds like there was no point in having Femi mixed over it since his vocals cannot be heard.

I give the album 5 stars becos I do not think of his father when I listen to this album. I think of an artist who has established that he can be great in his own right and not be a worse copy of his father. Two more albums like this and Fela will only be a footnote in Femi's career.