Fela Kuti

The Best Of The Black President 2 (Knitting Factory Records KFR1029/2, 2013)

This new 2-CD collection collects some of the most iconic pieces from Fela Kuti’s career. It’s a great opportunity to continue to explore the roots of Afrobeat, a musical genre that has blossomed in recent years.

The Best Of The Black President 2 contains lengthy pieces that have that cool jam band feel, with a mix of compelling lyrics seeking social justice and vibrant music. Knitting Factory Records is reissuing many of Fela Kuti’s albums, nearly 50 and they are enhanced with new liner notes by Afrobeat historian Chris May.

In Fela Kuti’s music you can hear a combination of Yoruban roots music, jazz, highlife and American funk. This synthesis is what was later called Afrobeat.

For those who want to get a taste of the source of Afrobeat music, The Best Of The Black President 2 is an excellent sampler, presenting the music and lyrics of one of the great innovators and activists I recent African music history.

A special deluxe version of The Best of the Black President 2 also includes a DVD of Fela Kuti’s memorable 1984 concert in Glastonbury.