The Kuti Family is Taking the Afrobeat Legacy to the US

Africa News

25 years after the death of Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti, his son, Femi, accompanied by his grandson are taking the sounds of Afrobeat to the US.

The new double "Legacy" was nominated for a Grammy. The father and son duo are hoping to win in the Global Music category.

"It's a joint release with my son, which makes it extra, extra special because of the collaboration with my son, him playing on my album because he played bass on my album, saxophone, and then being able to appreciate him doing his work, and then bringing the work out together, I think that was very special for me", admitted 59 year-old Femi Kuti.

The new album is divided into two parts -- one for the father, the other for the son, who plays all the instruments on his section. Dealing with the legacy left by music legend Fela Kuti was the hardest part.

"He has already stood firm to tell everybody, this is "Made Kuti and The Movement", with his first album even. It took me years... Look (laughing) my life was miserable! And to find my feet in such chaos... because my father was huge! Now he has a huge grandfather, a huge father, and then to find himself immediately, that's beautiful" added the son of music legend Fela Kuti.

Another contender for the Grammy is Nigerian afropop star Wizkid.

"I really like some of the ideas of some musicians that are taking, going back culturally, and reintroducing the cultural sounds to the modern scene like The Cavemen with Highlife. Everything is wonderful, Nigeria is a hotspot for creativity, Lagos" said 26 year-old singer and songwriter, Made Kuti.

The new album is a powerful cocktail of repetitive and hypnotic High Life style, Yoruba polyrhythms, jazz and funk.