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Seun and his Egypt 80 Band will do battle with the likes of Bombino (Deran), Fatoumata Diawara (Fenfo), Soweto Gospel Choir (Freedom) and Yiddish Glory (The Lost Songs of World War II) for the coveted award, which holds February 10, 2019, at the Staple Center, Los Angeles, United States of America.
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Released during Spring 2018, the album cemented Seun’s status as the modern day torchbearer for Afrobeat, exploring themes around black identity, political corruption and the need for a new generation of revolutionaries.
The title track featured a guest appearance by guitar legend Carlos Santana.
The New York Times described the album as, “A call for historical memory and present day truth and progress. Grooves built of little moving parts and staggering syncopations.”
For Pitchfork, the album is “A smartly distilled primer on the power of Afrobeat,”
The Voice described it as, “A fresh vibrant sound, which still evokes the same messages that flowed passionately from his father’s music to his very own.”
For The Wire, “Fela’s youngest son inherited Egypt 80 from his father in 1997 and keeps alive its joyously angry spirit.”
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