Seun Kuti
| Seun Kuti | |
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 Seun Kuti @ Marsatac Festival 2008 (Marseille, France) |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti |
| Born | January 11, 1983 |
| Origin | Nigeria |
| Genres | Afrobeat |
| Instruments | Saxophone, vocals |
| Labels | Knitting Factory Records |
| Associated acts | Egypt 80 |
| Website | Seun Kuti on Myspace |
Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), commonly known as Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, and the youngest son of legendary afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80.
Seun and his brother Femi are the two successful[citation needed] musical offspring of the late Nigerian afrobeat innovator Fela Kuti. Seun has one younger sister who used to sing in his band. At the age of nine Seun expressed the wish to sing to his father.[citation needed] A short while later Seun started acting as a sort of mascot and would sing a few songs backed by Egypt 80 before his father took to the stage. Since then, Seun has followed the political and social ethos of his father.
After Fela’s died in 1997 Seun, then only 14 years old, became the lead singer of Egypt 80. While in school Seun had to choose between a career in music and one in African Football for which he has an outstanding talent.[citation needed] He had a friend performing for crowds too, sometimes consisting of only 3 or 4 people. He honed his musical skills for several years. Those skills were showcased to the world with his 2008 debut album, Many Things, produced by Martin Meissonnier, who had already produced two albums for his father.
About three quarters of the current Egypt 80 line-up consists of musicians that not only played with Fela Kuti, but often were arrested and harassed alongside the founder of the Afrobeat movement. Live sets consist of both new material and originals from Seun’s father. During his lifetime Fela Kuti never performed songs he had recorded, so for many fans this is their first chance to enjoy classics like Shuffering and Shmiling, Colonial Mentality and Army Arrangement in a live setting. A new studio album called From Africa with Fury: Rise was released on 5 April 2011. It was recorded in London, produced by Brian Eno, John Reynolds and Seun himself.
Seun Kuti is featured in Calle 13's song "Todo se mueve" (Everything Moves), on their 2010 album Entren los que quieran.
He participated actively in the Occupy Nigeria protests against the fuel subsidy removal policy of President Goodluck Jonathan in his native Nigeria, in January 2012.
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Discography[edit]
- Think Africa (12", 2007)
- Many Things (CD & LP album, 2008, Tôt ou Tard)
- Many Things (CD & LP album, 2008, Disorient Records)
- From Africa With Fury: Rise (2011, Knitting Factory Records/Because Music)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
- The Unofficial Fan-Site – Unofficial fan-site for Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 with news, videos, music, pictures and much more (French or English)]
- The Shrine – Unofficial website for Fela Kuti and Afrobeat Music with news, bio's, tour dates, gig reviews, interviews, and lyrics.
- Podcast interview with Seun Kuti and excerpts from his music on flyglobalmusic.com
- Seun Kuti / Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 discographies at Discogs
- Seun Kuti on Myspace
- Kokolo Official Homepage
- Afropop Worldwide's Slideshow of Seun Kuti's Debut NYC Appearance, July 2007
- Biography at Planète Aurora
- June 2008 Interview with L.A. Record
- Audio interview with Kuti on The Sound of Young America
- Musical warrior. Interview in The Sydney Morning Herald, February 21, 2009.
- [1]. Interview for CFM, a French radio, released during a jazz festival on July 2009.
- [VIDEO] Interview with Seun Kuti at his home in Lagos, Nigeria (August 2010).
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