The secret is out! Legendary Afrobeat artist Femi Kuti will be releasing a joint album, Legacy+ alongside his son, Made Kuti, on February 5, 2021.
Legacy+ will be a two-sided album, with one side featuring Femi’s project, Stop the Hate, and the other, Made’s For(e)ward album. Leading up to the February release, the father-son duo has today released two new singles: Your Enemy by Made, and Pà Pá Pà by Femi.
Your Enemy – Made’s follow-up to his debut single, Free Your Mind – turns a swirling
and modern Afrobeat sound into an impassioned call for justice. While Femi’s “Pà Pá Pà,’ implores Nigerians to rail against the dishonesty of local politicians (“When
government wastes our time, the government wastes our life” he declares).
“Pà Pá Pà” is also accompanied by a music video filmed in Lagos and directed by Adasa Cookey.
Both albums that makeup ‘Legacy +’ are steeped in the tradition of Afrobeat invented
by Fela, but each also offers its own unique vision. Femi’s ‘Stop The Hate’ honors
Fela in a traditionally fun, sharply political, and affirming way.
Made’s ‘For(e)ward’ meanwhile, is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing boundaries of the subgenre even further. Made also performs every instrument on his album!
Femi says, “I am very excited and happy because as a father I get to perform with my
son on my album again, and I get to see him compose, arrange, and play all instruments on his own album. Most importantly, we get to release this project together.
It is spiritually soothing and comforting to witness this chapter in my life.” Made adds, “I
truly believe that once in a while we are fortunate enough to write stories for ourselves
that we can look back on much later in our lives.
This has been one of the greatest positive highlights of my life so far, both musically and transcendently. I’ve learnt so much from my father politically, socially, philosophically, and musically that I know this lovely project is only the beginning of more beautiful things to come.”
The cover arts for ‘For(e)ward’ and ‘Stop The Hate’ feature portraits of Femi and Made
done by Brooklyn-based artist Delphine Desane, whose work was recently featured on
the cover of Vogue Italia.
‘Legacy +’ artwork:
Femi Kuti – ‘Stop The Hate’ tracklist:
1. Pà Pá Pà
2. As We Struggle Everyday
3. Stop The Hate
4. Land Grab
5. Na Bigmanism Spoil Government
6. You Can’t Fight Corruption With Corruption
7. Show Of Shame
8. Privatisation
9. Young Boy Young Girl
10. Set Your Minds And Souls Free
Femi Kuti – ‘Stop The Hate’ artwork:
Made Kuti – ‘For(e)ward’ tracklist:
1. Free Your Mind
2. Your Enemy
3. Blood
4. Different Streets
5. Higher You’ll Find
6. Hymn
7. Young Lady
8. We Are Strong
Made Kuti – ‘For(e)ward’
