Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Egypt 80

Egypt 80 was Fela Kuti's band. Wikipedia says Fela formed it after the 1978 exodus of Africa '70 members, when the drummer Tony Allen and most of the musicians left after the Berlin Jazz Festival, and re-formed it in 1983 to reflect his view that Egyptian civilization is African; MusicBrainz gives 1979. The baritone saxophonist Lekan Animashaun became band leader after the departures. Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti, born January 11, 1983 in Lagos, was playing with the band by about nine, studied at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and took over leading Egypt 80 after Fela's death on August 2, 1997. He was about 14, per PopMatters.

The 12-inch "Think Africa" (2007) came before Many Things (2008), the first album as Seun Kuti & Egypt 80. From Africa with Fury: Rise (2011, Knitting Factory) followed, then A Long Way to the Beginning (2014), the EP Struggle Sounds (2016, Sony Masterworks), Black Times (March 2, 2018, Strut) with a Grammy nomination for world music album, Night Dreamer Direct to Disc Sessions (2019), the African Dreams EP with Black Thought (2022) and Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head) (2024, Record Kicks), their first full-length in six years. Robert Glasper co-produced A Long Way to the Beginning and Black Times, which had guests Yasiin Bey, Nai Palm and Carlos Santana. PopMatters describes a 17-member group in tight big-band-style arrangements. He guested on Calle 13's "Todo se mueve" (2010), Sinead O'Connor's "James Brown" (2014) and Janelle Monae's "Float" (2023).