If this isn’t the time for the legacy of Fela Anikulapo Kuti to shout out Africa for Africa & to come out of Africa With Fury & Rise, then I don’t know when it will ever be the right time for the the Kalakuta Republic’s heirs, Seun Anikulapo & Femi Kuti to make like generation Marley & keep the Afrobeat name & legacy forever in a global fusion expansion that credits their father & carries on a legacy for many generations to come. This my friends is the difference between riches & wealth! Riches can always be taken away, but wealth is forever!

What the world  & generations over know as Reggae can never be separated from the name Bob Marley & Bob Marley can never be separated from Reggae ! What the world & generations over know as Afrobeat can never be separated from Fela Kuti  & Fela Kuti can never be separated from Afrobeat . From  Kingston to Lagos the roots of global  soul continues to grow & rise in its exclusively inclusive formations!

“Afrobeat has to go from stage to studio, not studio to stage,” he says.  “I don’t believe in going into the studio to write songs.  You create music in the world, outside, in the environment.  You create music with nature, not in the studio.  You go to the studio to record, that’s it.  Music created in the studio is commercial music, music that only wants to sell, that has nothing to do with the world.”..Read More

“At the time I made the album, I felt Africa was losing its grip on the issue of Africa,” he says. “We are getting to where we are not addressing the main problems in Africa and I wanted Africans to focus on what our true issues are. We are forgetting that Africa is really a colonial structure at this point. We are forgetting our history, forgetting our brothers and sisters. And we need to care. I was thinking about the war in Rwanda,” he continues. “When they told us about that, I didn’t know about anything. The national media was not informing the rest of Africa. They did not tell me in Nigeria. CNN was not telling me what was going on. So as Africans we don’t care about Africa. We need to care..” Read More

I see Ziggy & Femi reflected through Stephen & Seun as they pass the baton of the legacy to a new generation upholding the heart, movements & spirit of Bob & Fela! Seun Kuti & Stephen Marley represent the new generation global fusionist, eerily authentic in the sound & experience of their father’s words & soul with a re-evolution that says this time we’re going to get it right because their elder brothers before them embraced being their brother’s keeper & having Africa for Africa. The legacy of the M.OP. came to CONQUER Not to Bow & they used music as a weapon because once it hits you, you feel no pain.

Seun continues to show his endless & effortless global reach with his new project with famed DJ/Producer- Gilles Peterson. Damn Gilles Peterson your music just turns me on….don’t hurt em’…I am loving the tracks ..”U got me feeling like …breath”! Thanks for taking us all worldwide!

As our Cuban & Malian brothers said in the documentary AfroCubism “La Musica Es Universal..no tiene frontera…Music Is Universal..It Has No Boundaries” – Eliades Ochao guitarist/vocalist, Musician/Cuban/global fusionist

“Music is its own language..I say it’s “music” that we speak in this project” -La musique est sa propre langue .. je dis que c’est”musique”que nous parlons dans ce projet“

Toumani Diabte -Musician/Artist/Kora player/Malian/Global Fusionist

Support our global African musical legacies & global fusions…support the new generations of musical greatness..Generation Marley..Generation Kuti…this summer will surely be filled with global African musical brilliance with all these new works coming out right in time for the global African re-evolution of the revolution!! It’s Time for us All To Wake Up!

“Over the course of a one-hour interview, Seun Kuti talks – engagingly, entertainingly, animatedly, often hilariously – about a range of subjects. He talks about religion (“Do I believe in God? Of course not! Don’t be stupid!”), about his love of Arsenal (“We need a few taller players”), about working with Brian Eno (“A musical genius. He is not Brian Eno for nothing”), about spending time in Paris (“Can I speak French? Not much. Enough for the ladies”), and about events in the Middle East (“The west will make fools of themselves in Libya, mark my words”)….He also, inevitably, talks about his father. Seun (pronounced Shay-oon, an abbreviation of Oluseun), is the youngest son of the late, great Fela Kuti, and the one seen as Fela’s anointed successor. He first guested on stage with his father aged eight (at the Harlem Apollo, of all places) and inherited Fela’s Egypt 80 big band at the age of 14 when his father died.” READ MORE

“The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it.”...READ MORE

Africans Must Love Africa..Africa For Africa Is The Way!!!

“Fela has risen again. FELA! cast member Abena Koomson wrote in again from Lagos, where the performances have officially begun with a first show at Fela’s New Afrika Shrine. She emailed this skin-tingling report:

“The performance at the Shrine was unbelievable. It felt like that performance was the sole reason why this play was every created: to pay homage to Fela in his home, to give an offering and to receive a blessing. It’s such a remarkable thing that the entire Broadway cast had a chance to experience it. I was talking to Femi (Kuti) backstage during one of our rehearsals and he was wowed. He said first of all, that the Shrine audience does not clap. That he had never seen that happen. And even during our rehearsals we were getting uproarious applause. By the time we got to the actual tribute, it was tenfold. The people I talked to were proud of us. It was a homecoming.” READ MORE

GENERATION NEXT :FUTURE LEGENDS OF LEGACY

It seems Nina Simone’s words “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times. how can you be an artist & not reflect the times?”,  needs to be heralded more than ever because there are way too many stories that are not being told. The world is in a massive mash up of class wars globally, being turned into racial, religious & regional wars. Our leaders have become unaccountable for their treacherous treasonous actions against we the people, we the everyday citizens of  nations, we who they call their own people, as the people bare the brunt of the suffering from their lies & deeds for greed & power masked in the tainted cloak of freedom & democracy.

We need a generation of artists who speak for the people as their mouth piece to let the world know the global trials & tribulations of the everyday man that you may not see or hear in the propaganda that is fed to the people to pacify them in complacency. Stephen Marley is surely one of those artists who will lead us & the music back to conciousness. How many artists in good times & bad times will stand up & offer up their homes to bailout their felow man? So many have lost the spirit of botherhood , but there are so many more of us who will not let the world  forget our humanity. Bob Marley’s seeds will continue to plant trees of righteousness & humanity.

There is a global need for our artists to become a reflection of the times in enlightening, educating & mobilizing the people to true peaceful revolution. None but ourselves can free our minds! Where are our Bob Marleys, Nina Simones, Marvin Gayes, Peter Toshs, John Lennons & Buju Bantons to take the baton in taking the music to new heights..the world needs them more than ever now to tell those often UNTOLD STORIES…

May the roots soul & power of Buju’s Maroon ancestors guide & protect him through his current tribulation! I hope we all take heed to the the lyrics of the 3 songs below, Destiny, Politics Time Again & Untold Stories- as we go through our global massive tribulations in making sure that the truth about our untold stories see the light of day!

Verse 1:
The rich man’s wealth is in the city
Destruction of the poor is his poverty
Destruction of your soul is vanity
Do you hear
I and I, I wanna rule my destiny
I and I, I wanna rule my destiny

Chorus:
Destiny, mama look from when you call me
Destiny, mama look from when you calling
I wanna rule my destiny
yeah, yeah oh help I please Jah Jah mek mi rule

Verse 2:
I’ve been blessed I’ve been touch
I love Jah so much
They keep fighting me I’m not giving up
May the realms of Zion fill my spiritual cup
Wisdom overstanding can never be too much
Give I protection Day and night

Chorus:
Cast away their cords from us
you have them in the region in the valley of decision
Restraining the heathen with a rod of iron
you know not the destiny of a next man
Why hold him set him free too long

Verse 3:
My destination is homeward bound
Though force try to hold I down
Breaking chains has become the norm
I know I must get through no matter what a gwaan

Why my people suffer so bad ?
Who is it that should really be sad ?
Is it… Is it the misplaced melancholic ?
Whoa…

[Chorus:]
Well is’t politics time again
Are you gonna vote now ?
My people you ah talk
It’s politics time again
Are you gonna vote now ?

My god…

[Verse 1:]
Rise up falling suffer
Rise and take your stands again
He who fights and run away
Will live to fight another day

[Chorus]

Make love and not war

[Verse 2:]
It’s the time to duty
Haffi see the chance to vote
Fire bun dem constitution
Long time we need ah choose
Fed up with promises
And hopeless hope
Why the box must be empty
For those clothes
No one harm no one
True the color of the clothes, now
But some just plain greedy
No matter how we teach them
For get easy… yaw

[Chorus]

It’s the rasta them talkin’
New gear, new gear

[Verse 3:]
Bloodshed…
From rema-a-and
Down in the valley
Can them hear ya-a-ah
Crack down…
(it’s) Has become ah gunman compound
Now bless all people who has seen this shit
Lord
Dem cry reliclesly yeah
You keep on moving
Every minute every hour
Gunshot fall like shower
Whoa like new clear power

[Chorus]

[Verse 4:]
And the likkle want, we want
And the likkle preach, we preach
Selcter buzz thier big on the street, lord
Kill people
What dem really seek?
Who is it that I man speaking?
Who is it that is controlin’ the system?
Three parties and I’m not dancing
Who is it then?
Who is she then?
Now who is the Mr. In?
Yeah, it is the pain time
Again now… Whoo

[Chorus]

[Verse 5:]
Everything race
But we won’t live in fret
But the air we breath becomes thick with dead
Then we know Jah ah guide
We will never fret
When ever you ready ready
No more sparge
Whenever you light or heavy
Ah pure respect, lord lord lord lord
Now war, now war

While I’m Living
Thanks I’ll Be Giving
To the Most High You know,

[Chorus: ]
I am living while I am living to the father I will pray
Only he knows how we get through everyday
With all the hike in the price
Arm and leg we have to pay
While our leaders play

[Verse 1:]
All I see people a rip and a rob and a grab
Tief never love fe see tief wid long bag
No love for the people who a suffer real bad
Another toll to the poll may God help we soul
What is to stop the youths from get out of control
Full up of education yet no own no payroll
The clothes on my back have countless eyehole.
I could go on and on the full has never been told

[Repeat Chorus]

[Verse 2:]
Who can afford to run will run
But what about those who can’t…they will have to stay
Opportunity a scarce, scarce commodity
In these times I say… When mama spend her last and send you go class
Never you ever play
It’s a competitive world for low budget people,
Spending a dime while earning a nickel
With no regards to who it may tickle
My cup is full to the brim
I could go on and on the full has never been told

[Repeat Chorus]

[Verse 3:]
All I see people a rip and a rob and a grab
Tief never love fe see tief wid long bag
No love for the people who a suffer real bad
Another toll to the poll may God help we soul
What is to stop the youths from get out of control
Full up of education yet no own no payroll
The clothes on my back have countless eyehole
Could go on and on and the full has never been told
(On and On)
Though this life keep getting me down
Don’t give up now
Got to survive somehow
Could go on and on and the full has never been told

[Repeat Chorus]

[Verse 4:]
Who can afford to run will run
But what about those who can’t…they will have to stay
Opportunity a scarce, scarce commodity
In these times I say… When mama spend her last and send you go class
Never you ever play
It’s a competitive world for low budget people,
Spending a dime while earning a nickel
With no regards to who it may tickle
My cup is full to the brim
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on the full has never been told
I could go on and on….
The full has never….

Been…..
Toooooold.
SOURCE :Lyrics on Demand

Super musician, producer, writer, singer & lyricist- Stephen Marley is the hidden diamond in the rough of the Marley generation who best epitomizes the talents & musical genius of the late great Robert Nester Marley. You may know Stephen Marley as part of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, but wait until you discover the solo Stephen Marley on his 2007 debut solo album “Mind Control” with hits like “Hey Baby” (featuring Mos Def) & The Traffic Jam” (featuring Damian Marley).

“Stand in ♥ don’t fall in ♥ ”

By now everyone across the globe must have heard the name Fela Anikulapo Kuti, AKA Fela, AKA Black President. If you have not then maybe you are too young or just stuck under a rock. There is a new revival of Fela’s music, his words, his teachings & his revolutionary spirit springing up all around the world, cutting across boundaries of nations, race, class, gender & age. There are books being released, CD’s in celebration of his music by today’s artists whom he has influenced, parties around the world celebrating the blend of hi-life, funk & Jazz which created the beautiful powerful sound of Afro Beat, a broadway show on his life & music, art exhibits, countless documentaries and even classes in Universities based on the life & sound of the incomparable Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The spirit of Fela is alive & flourishing & it could not have come at a better time. The injustice, corrupt governments, reprehensible poverty in nations with abundant resources & the infiltration of new colonialism in the form of the demonstration of crazy,known as democracy, which he spoke & fought against, seems to be reaping its head everywhere- begging to be exposed & cut down by the many spawns & M.O.P soldiers of Fela spread throughout the world.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti is Africa’s champion, taking the baton from great Pan-Africanists & revolutionaries like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah toward finishing the race & battle for Africa’s true freedom in self empowerment, self sufficiency, self awareness, self preservation & finally releasing the chains of colonialism through continental equality & unity. Fela saw that Africa’s biggest problem in moving forward & achieving its contintental greatness was the silence, poverty, lack of education & ignorance of the people -so he created a movement of the people through the call & power of music.

Modern day Felas like Nneka, Wyclef Jean,  Dead Prez, Blitz the Ambassador, Sena, Antibales, Wunmi, Black Prophet, K’naan, Stephen Marley, Wanlov the Kubolor, Damian Junior Gong Marley, The Blk Jks, Mos Def, The Roots & of course the direct heirs, Seun & Femi Kuti amongst many others globally, are carrying the revolutinary mantle of Fela by showing the world that music is still a weapon to be used for the good of the people- waking up & raising up nations & the world- a never ending MOP- Movement of the people.

There is a new “Back to Africa” movement emerging globally, whether it’s big businesses seeking resources in Africa or Africans & Diasporans returning to their roots & finding a new sense of pride in being African. Fela’s movement of the people is back again with the fire burning hotter than ever, ushering in a new anti- zombie decade where information is power, knowledge is eternal & music is the weapon of choice!

PBS is true Global Fusion -Global Classroom- Support PBS & Public TV! Watch Black President Jan. 25th,2010 @10pm (http://www.pbs.org/opb/soundtracks/stories/black/) & Go to see Fela on Broadway in NY (http://www.felaonbroadway.com/)!

“There ’s so much hypocrisy & lies in education -we are not taught about what life is- education does not deal with the essence of life, tradition & culture & all those things that existed in Africa before that made the continent so pure & the envy of the rest of the world…now everyone wants to be European or American….America says jump, the whole world jumps- when America says shut up the whole world shuts up- when America doesn’t like you, you are finished….You say I don’t Take Risk?” Femi Kuti

“Music Is The Weapon of The Future..If You play With Music You will Die Young”

Wake up world- the spirit of Fela lives globally beyond genres, borders & styles- Music is the weapon of choice for the new decade of change agents & global leaders! Let’s get Globally Fused!