On a stage of maybe about 13 band members, Femi Kuti, the oldest son of Fela Kuti aka the father of Afrobeat graced us with his mighty spirit. In all the chaos that swirled between his musicians and his leading ladies who not only sang but danced and set the tempo of the music, Femi ever so effortlessly transfixed the crowd with his latest album ‘One People, One World.’
Like his father, politics continued to be an underlying subject in his music. Words allude to bloodshed, inequality with themes of oppression making an appearance in his soulful ode to world peace. While his words were heavy, his energy was more than groovy and exuberant.
Four-time Grammy-nominated, our man Femi, blessed us with a sweet saxophone duet with his son and a little choreography that left the audience stomping all the way home.
“London sucked my energy, but I’m here for you, Bristol.”
And Bristol stuck out for him. His audience was a beautiful mix of the youth with the oldies hanging at the back, no divide just a pure appreciation for Afrobeats.
“I’m getting old now. This is getting harder.”
Not at all, Mr Kuti. You put on a heck of a show. And so, in your words,
“This is Africa. This is Lagos. This is Afrobeats.”
And that it was.
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