Femi Kuti is undoubtedly the worthy heir of the revolutionary Afrobeat tradition of his father Fela Kuti. His music – a mix of funk, jazz, highlife and R&B – has always been a means of denouncing corruption, inequality and abuse of power. With his latest album Journey Through Life (2024), however, the Nigerian musician shows a more personal side. At 62, Femi is at a creative crossroads: he continues to fight for social change, but at the same time explores the inner journey that continues to shape him as a person and an artist.
Although the tone of his latest work is more introspective, his criticism remains sharp. Songs such as Politics Don't Expose Them and After 24 Years show that the problems he has been addressing since the 1990s still persist. At the same time, he revisits older songs, reworking them to better reflect who he is today, both musically and spiritually. For the first time, he also took charge of the entire production himself, a step that emphasises his creative autonomy.
Femi's career began with Egypt 80, his father's legendary band, after which he formed his own band, Positive Force, in 1986. His activism runs parallel to his music, through collaborations with organisations such as Global Citizen and UNICEF. The energy of his home base, the Nigerian capital Lagos, remains an essential part of his work. Live, he creates an explosive, collective experience with his band and dancers, bringing together rhythm, consciousness and joy. is undoubtedly the successor to his father Fela Kuti's revolutionary Afrobeat tradition. His music – a mix of funk, jazz, highlife and R&B – has always been a means of denouncing corruption, inequality and abuse of power. With his latest album Journey Through Life (2024), however, the Nigerian musician shows a more personal side. At 62, Femi is at a creative crossroads: he continues to fight for social change, but at the same time explores the inner journey that continues to shape him as a person and an artist.
Although the tone of his latest work is more introspective, his criticism remains sharp. Songs such as Politics Don't Expose Them and After 24 Years show that the problems he has been addressing since the 1990s still persist. At the same time, he revisits older songs, reworking them to better reflect who he is today, both musically and spiritually. For the first time, he also took charge of the entire production himself, a step that emphasises his creative autonomy.
Femi's career began with Egypt 80, his father's legendary band, after which he formed his own band, Positive Force, in 1986. His activism runs parallel to his music, through collaborations with organisations such as Global Citizen and UNICEF. The energy of his home base, the Nigerian capital Lagos, remains an essential part of his work. Live, he creates an explosive, collective experience with his band and dancers, bringing together rhythm, consciousness and joy.
