With From Africa with Fury: Rise, Seun Kuti creates an album that makes a direct connection and almost extension of his father Fela Kuti's work. While his previous albums did a notable job carrying on the Afrobeat torch, with this one he has really hit the nail on the head. In so many ways, Rise looks, sounds, and feels like his father's soul has a direct hand in its creation.
Pick up the album. Just look at the cover of the album. Look. And you'll see graphics that immediately draw you back to Fela's albums, and for good reason. For his latest release, Seun called upon Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu, the same artists who created many of Fela's most well known covers.
Open up the album. Listen to the music. Backing Seun is Egypt 80, Fela's old band. And while all the members may not have directly played with Fela, the core of the band is a direct channel to the center of Afrobeat.
Listen more deeply. You'll find the heart of Afrobeat: protest. Songs of rebellions. Songs questioning the status quo. Songs seeking to address wrongs. The fuel that drove Fela and now his children.
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