Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

0000: Seun Kuti, Fela’s heir, ignites modern afrobeat with a fiery blend of funk, jazz, and Nigerian rhythms : always powerful, always political.

Seun Kuti has long made a name for himself, carrying forward the immense musical and political legacy of his father, Fela Kuti, pioneer of afrobeat in the 1970s. Raised in Lagos on the explosive mix of funk, jazz, Nigerian folk and highlife that became the soundtrack of an independent and proud Africa, Seun joined Egypt 80 at only 12, before taking over the band after his father’s passing in 1997. Since then, he has tirelessly kept this fire alive, enriching it with new sounds and urgent messages.

Regular guests at the festival, having already paid tribute to Fela in 2016, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 were eagerly awaited, and they did not disappoint. Raising his fist, dressed in a blazing red suit, Seun commanded the stage, carried by the legendary orchestra. Blazing horns, razor-sharp guitars, and hypnotic percussion wove the unmistakable afrobeat fabric, at once trance-inducing and politically charged.

On stage, Seun doesn’t imitate, he extends. His burning slogans, stage intensity, and the collective power of Egypt 80 turn every piece into both celebration and struggle. The Charlie Parker hall became a miniature Lagos, where dance itself became an act of resistance. With his luminous and engaged spirit, this fantastic man proves that Afrobeat is not a relic of the past, but a living, urgent music of the present.

Genre Live Show
Production year 2025
Recording location Jazz à la Villette Festival
Director Thomas Rabillon
Duration 54min