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| Popmatters |
 One glance at the song titles on Femi Kuti’s latest album, Africa for Africa, and the thrust of his concerns becomes clear. “Politics in Africa”, “Bad Government”, “Can’t Buy Me”, and “Africa for Africa” all express messages protesting corruption and small-mindedness while advocating self-empowerment, national and continental pride, and hard work. Or as Kuti himself puts it, “Given the opportunity, the African man will excell.”Listeners used to other, non-Anglophone proponents of Afro-pop—Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Rokai Traore, Gigi—may find the accessibility of the lyrics off-putting or preachy. But there is an African tradition of using music as a vehicle for voicing social concerns, and besides, these tunes are so damn catchy, so thoroughly irresistible in their hip-shaking groove, that to complain about the lyrics seems a little, well, provincial. In light of Fela Kuti’s epic recording career, it’s easy to overlook the fact that son Femi has himself been performing for more than 20 years now. Africa for Africa is a raw, sweaty, bouncy record full of pulsating bass, sharp horn accents, and bubbling keyboards, all glued together with a thick paste of percussion and Femi’s urgent, chant-sing-along vocals. It’s a tremendously soulful record, more James Brown than Marvin Gaye, and at the same time thoroughly African in its concerns and style. Anyone wondering whether the son could break free from the father’s long shadow need look no further than this....full text |
| Mondomix |
| After an absence of four years, Femi delivered a tour de force in 2008 with Day By Day. His new album Africa For Africa has a very similar direction, except for one crucial difference. Day By Day was made in Paris, while this one was recorded in Lagos, in the historic Decca studio where his father Fela recorded some of his classics and where Femi began his career. And you can feel the energetic tension of the Nigerian megacity in every beat of this record, which features some of Femi’s most powerful compositions, such as ‘Politics In Africa’ and the incendiary ‘Now I See’. Femi attacks the African political elite for having no legitimate right to power and for their abuses of the people (‘Nobody Beg’, ‘Bad Government’). There’s a constant sense of urgency here, even on the slower songs, which smoulder with heat (as on the title track). The Kuti flame burns bright....full text |
| Flyglobalmusic |
| Like his father before him there is no evidence of a mellowing with age, in fact quite the reverse. This is an album dominated by the bitterness of one who feels he has been had. Had by the government, by the governors and the whole political class. Had by an international system that displays proudly its benevolence towards his continent while stripping its resources bare, shitting on its environment from a height and condemning millions to a carousel of subsistence and death. As he wonders aloud on ‘Bad Government’ how is it that Africa produces such great footballers, doctors and other individuals while its countries are in a mess? Most of the tracks on this album have the intensity and punch that makes his live shows so unforgettable but perhaps a little more variety in pace would make the album a better listen. On the other hand in this digital age, how much does that matter? And if a few of the tracks sound familiar that could because — like the opening track ‘Dem Bobo’ — they have appeared on other albums (in this case Africa Shrine). Hopefully, this album will get into the hands of some of the many who’ll be checking out the Musical Fela during its run at the National Theatre in November, while Femi himself is doing a short tour of the UK at the end of November / the start of December 2010....full text |
Femi Kuti lyrics
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