- Philippines challenges China over South China Sea at ASEAN meet
- Mets advance on Lindor blast, Dodgers stay alive in MLB playoffs
- Injury-ravaged Krygios aiming to return at Australian Open
- Greek international Baldock, dead at 31: family
- EU talks deportation hubs to stem migration
- Deaths and repression sideline Suu Kyi's party ahead of Myanmar vote
- S. Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plant
- China opens $71 bn 'swap facility' to boost markets
- Mets advance on Lindor grand slam, Yankees and Tigers win
- Taiwan President Lai vows to 'resist annexation' of island
- China's solar goes from supremacy to oversupply
- Asian markets track Wall St record as Hong Kong, Shanghai stabilise
- 'Denying my potential': women at Japan's top university call out gender imbalance
- China's central bank says opens up $70.6 bn in liquidity to boost market
- Zelensky on whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US vote
- Youth facing unprecedented wave of violence, UN envoy warns
- 'A casino in every kitchen': Brazil's online gambling craze
- Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
- Lindor powers Mets past Phillies into NL Championship Series
- Wildlife populations plunge 73% since 1970: WWF
- 'Sleeper agent' bots on X fuel US election misinformation, study says
- Death toll rises to 109 after Haiti gang attack, official says
- Tigers beat Guardians and on brink of advancing in MLB playoffs
- Argentina MPs back Milei's veto of university funding
- Man City sink Barca in Women's Champions League as Bayern outgun Arsenal
- Greek international Baldock, 31, found dead in pool: state agency
- Florida seaside haven a ghost town as hurricane nears
- Pharrell Williams to co-chair Met Gala exploring Black dandyism
- Wall Street indices hit fresh records as Chinese shares tumble
- Taiwan's president to deliver key speech for National Day
- Sea row on the menu as ASEAN leaders meet China's Li
- Injured Kane won't start England's Nations League clash with Greece
- Discord seen as online home for renegades
- US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
- Mozambique starts tallying votes in tense election
- Zelensky moves to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Ratan Tata: Indian mogul who built a global powerhouse
- Rodgers rejects 'false' suggestions of role in Saleh dismissal
- One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
- Indian business titan Ratan Tata dead at 86
- Lebanon facing 'catastrophic' situation as 600,000 displaced: UN
- US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon
- Musk's X returns in Brazil after 40-day showdown with judge
- Call her savvy? Harris unleashes unconventional media blitz
- Lucian Freud 'masterpiece' fetches £13.9 million at London sale
- SoFi Stadium to hold next two CONCACAF Nations League finals
- McIlroy and DeChambeau set for PGA-LIV 'Showdown' in Vegas
- Fed minutes highlight divisions over rate cut decision
- Steve McQueen debuts new WWII film at London festival
- Run blitz edges India and South Africa closer to World Cup semi-finals
Kuti family keeps up Fela's Afrobeat legacy
In the Kuti family, music is clearly in the genes.
Nearly 25 years after the death of Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti, his son Femi and grandson Made are taking his Afrobeat sound to the United States.
With their double album "Legacy +", the father and son duo have been nominated for this year's Grammys, hoping to win the Global Music category in the US music awards in Los Angeles on Monday.
It is the first Grammy nomination for Made Kuti, 26, but the fifth for Femi, who started his career at the age of 17 alongside his famous father. Femi Kuti's younger brother Seun Kuti was also nominated in 2018.
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, from the saxophone and drums to the trumpet and piano.
"My music is very influenced by what I listened to as a child, that's obviously my grandfather, my father and my uncle," Made told AFP in an interview at the Shrine, Fela's famous Lagos concert venue.
On the stage, shirtless and with a saxophone strapped across his chest, Made bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather, who commanded a strong stage presence often with his face painted.
He runs his fingers over the saxophone before leading his group in a rehearsal of "Free Your Mind," the title track of his first album, released in February 2021.
The influence of rock mixes with the genius of Fela -- a potent cocktail of repetitive and hypnotic High Life style, Yoruba polyrhythms, jazz and funk.
Made's calm and composed attitude contrasts with that of his grandfather, who was all high-energy exuberance. But the lyrics are just as committed.
Throughout his career, Fela Kuti constantly denounced the corruption of elites, dictatorship and the power of multinationals, using music as a weapon.
"People see Fela as a figure of liberty, freedom and justice, the revolutionary mindset of being able to fight for what they believe in," Made said.
After the release of his anti-military album "Zombie" (1976) during Nigeria's military dictatorship, Fela's residence, known as the Kalakuta Republic, was completely razed in an army assault.
Fela himself was imprisoned and tortured several times during his country's military rule.
"He was by far one of the most talented musicians (…) but also a great source of sincerity, integrity and passion," said Made.
- Street protests -
A quarter of a century after his death, Femi and Made Kuti are attacking the same evils, using songs about the daily life of Nigerians as their ammunition.
Nigeria is no longer a military dictatorship since it returned to democracy in 1999.
But corruption, extreme poverty, glaring inequalities and abuses remain entrenched in Africa's most populous nation.
In "Different Streets", Made sings acerbically like Lou Reed: "Grandpa was not predicting the future with his songs, he was speaking about everything he saw, everything that was wrong... How scary it is that we are facing the same problems from the 70's".
The father and son attract crowds for their tours in Europe and at the Shrine, which has become a haunt of Fela fans, music lovers and expatriates.
Almost every week they open its doors to the public to provide free concerts.
But their music is not as popular in Nigeria as Fela's was during his heyday.
- Afrobeat and Afropop -
These days, Nigeria's youth prefer to dance to Afropop -- a derivative of Afrobeat played by superstars like Davido or Wizkid, who is also nominated for the Grammys this year.
The music biz today is not an industry that Femi Kuti, 59, views very favourably.
"We have to distinguish an entertainer and a musician," he said.
"Many of these artists don’t write their music, probably don’t write they lyrics... It takes years to become a great musician."
Afropop lyrics praise capitalism more than militancy, but lately the genre's repertoire has expanded and lyrics have become more political.
Nigeria's youth are often described as resilient or even apolitical, but they took to the streets en masse in October 2020 to protest against police violence and poor governance.
During the peaceful demonstrations, which were quickly and bloodily repressed, young people danced to the music of their parents. Fela Kuti's classic songs of rebellion -- "Sorrow, Tears and Blood" or "Zombie" -- resounded everywhere.
L.Durand--AMWN