Fela Kuti: Vinyl Box Set #4 curated by Erykah Badu

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Fela Kuti (v, sax)

Label:

Knitting Factory Records

February/2018

RecordDate:

1976-1992

How to keep rehashing the vast, 50-plus album back catalogue of the one and only Fela Anikulapo Kuti, an icon in Nigeria, Africa and – after clever marketing, a zillion copycat acts and an award-winning stage show – the rest of the world? Those of us who love Fela will already own albums such as 1980’s Coffin for Head of State and 1992’s Underground System, both included here. But it’s the exclusive nature of this 3,000 limited edition box set, with its essays, never-before-published photos and newly-designed poster by original cover artist Lemi Ghariokwu that makes this coffee-table set covetable. Not to mention the kudos bestowed by its Grammy-winning curator, Erykah Badu, here following in the steps of Questlove. Ginger Baker and Brian Eno, cherry pickers for the previous volumes. The audio has been restored and remastered too, which means Fela’s incendiary lyrics, blazing sax riffs and fierce, funky Afrobeat sound closer, more personal than ever. Next October marks what would have been Fela’s 80th birthday – the Afrobeat onslaught is only just beginning.

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