Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 Bring Serious Music to Start a Party Tomorrow Night

Growing up as Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti’s youngest son (and Femi’s youngest brother), Seun Kuti quickly fell into music, opening his father’s shows at just nine years old—doing a few songs with Fela’s group, Egypt 80. By the ripe old age of 12, he was a full-fledged band member as a saxophonist and percussionist. And when Fela died in 1997, Seun took over Egypt 80 at his father’s request. Ever since, Seun and the band (below, performing “Higher Consciousness”) have continued to make political music to move your body, but he’s been putting his own spin on his dad’s sound, witnessed by A Long Way to the Beginning (stream it below), out last year. In a glowing review, PopMatters declared, “This is a well-oiled, veteran operation, with a fiery leader capable of carrying the torch of Afrobeat to far borders and bringing the music to new heights. This is powerful, take-no-prisoners, socially conscious music. It’s also party music.” Sounds pretty great, right? So come see Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 in Brooklyn tomorrow night. Brooklyn Afro-funk seven-piece Ikebe Shakedown open the show.