Search - Femi Kuti :: Fight to Win

Femi Stakes His Claim With Supercharged Yoruba Grooves

afrogroove | NYC | 10/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The primary problem that novices have with the Afrobeat genre is the length and relatively loose structure of the songs. Femi Kuti has attempted to curtail this problem in the past, with varying degrees of success, but he seems to be solidifying his grip on the tighter, shorter format with "Fight To Win". The superlative "Beng Beng Beng" from the "Shoki Shoki" album demonstrates that a great Afrobeat song can be groovy, sensual and not be one of Fela's customary 25-minute saxophone sermons.Songs like "Do Your Best" and "Traitors Of Africa" flirt with the best of the genre's percolating drums and lively horns and guitars, although Femi's lack of strong lyrics becomes even more evident on this release than on the last. While he does attempt to tackle important subjects--kleptocrat and former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida is openly roasted on the album--it does little to distract from Femi's simplistic writing. A poignant exception to this is "'97", a track about the traumatic year in which Femi lost his legendary father, a beloved cousin and his sister. The guest appearances by the cream of American hip-hop and contemporary soul--Mos Def, Common and Jaguar Wright, respectively--are all very well integrated into the tracks, although the appearances are somewhat brief. Common comes through with a great rhyme on "Missing Link", where he's accompanied by an impressive, percussion-first groove. I'd like to make a quick, somewhat off-topic point--the polyrhythms(or "pocket") on this album, and of Afrobeat in general, are reminiscent (and obviously related to) the driving rhythms of Washington, DC's Go-Go music; collaborations between go-go players and Afrobeat bands could yield some sort of wonderful funk.My first impressions of this joint were not good and I was prepared to pan this CD in comparison to the bubbling "Shoki Shoki", but listening to it as I tap out these sentences, I realize that Femi and The Positive Force have cranked out a hot album that they can be proud of and that you should be happy to own."

Fela would be so proud.

Paul J. Escamilla | NYC | 07/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a big Fela Kuti fan, I must admit I was VERY skeptical about Femi Kuti's arrival on the music scene. Like some others, I did not give Femi the benefit of the doubt and wrote him off as a wanna-be. This without ever having heard him, I am ashamed to admit.Well, now I have heard him, and let me tell you, Femi does the Kuti name honor with this release. The first song alone was enough to convince me that this man is a very worthy heir to Fela's legacy.The musicianship is superb: tight, funky, passionate, melodious, and deliciously sharp. Absolutely first-rate afro-funk.And Femi? He holds court with flair, intelligence, and soul. He has the fire within him, the fire of true passionate artistry.And, dare I say it, I think he might even be a better singer than his father.Like I said, I am ashamed that I didn't give him a fair shake. And I passed up several chances to see him perform in NYC. I am a fool. I admit it.Femi is no fool. He's a giant. Really. If you buy this album and don't like it, you need professional help."

Prepare for the African Invasion

doomsdayer520 | Pennsylvania | 11/21/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As sons of incredible fathers go, Femi Kuti is doing very well with this album. Femi's father Fela was a god in African music and is credited with creating entire genres of music, especially the Afrobeat that the young Femi is developing here. Femi's strategy appears to be the courting of the Western market and connecting with the American black music scene, and he might just pull it off with this strong album. At one point here, a sampled voice says "so you're taking your roots, and translating it into something contemporary." That's exactly right. The songs here are mostly very long and drawn-out workouts, and in the African tradition a strong groove builds up and slowly beats you into submission. On the contemporary side however, there are strong R&B, funk, and reggae undercurrents throughout the album. The short instrumental interlude "Tension Grip Nigeria" even contains some heavy reggae dub effects. To cement the connection to the American market, rappers Mos Def and Common make guest appearances, while the title track features great vocals by the Badu-like singer Jaguar Wright. The strongest tracks here are "Eko Lagos" and "Alkebu-Lan (Cradle of Civilization)" which are masterpieces of groove architecture with that underlying booty-shaking twitch. So this African music isn't completely 100% pure, but it doesn't need to be. Femi Kuti may make a significant impact on Western listeners who are not afraid to broaden their horizons."