Fela Kuti never shied away from politics in his music, and neither does Baloji on his cover of the pioneering Nigerian musician’s song “Buy Africa,” premiering today on Speakeasy.

The song is part of “Red Hot + Fela,” a compilation of artists covering Kuti’s songs as part of Red Hot’s efforts to raise money to combat AIDS — a resonant cause, given that Kuti died of an AIDS-related illness in 1997. The album also includes contributions from Roots drummer Questlove, Tune-Yards, Angelique Kidjo, Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes, Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio and the Kronos Quartet.

Baloji, a Congolese musician with strong ties to Belgium, was drawn to the act-locally message of “Buy Africa.”

“The song’s topic ain’t like the title suggests at first,” he told Speakeasy. “It’s not about the exploitation of African resources, but about how Africans should support their own economy.

It questions the import of subsistence products and the lack of value attributed to local products, locally made clothes and also how the role of the dollar as the principle currency of exchange leads Africans to the adoption of American models of thinking, and an American concept of success. It isn’t about a simplistic rejection of globalization, but more about getting involved ourselves, and shifting the balance.”

He and his band, L’Orchestre de la Katuba featuring Kuku, varied their version of Kuti’s song by speeding it up slightly, adding Congolese guitar and talking drums, and underpinning the tune with a mutuashi dance rhythm. Then they simply played it.

“We recorded it without overdubs and that’s the most important thing about this song for us,” Baloji said. “It’s living and floating.”

“Red Hot + Fela” comes out Oct. 8 on Knitting Factory Records. What do you think of Baloji’s cover of “Buy Africa?” Leave your thoughts in the comments.