On Friday, I braved the sweltering heat in New York to attend the Seun Kuti/Faaji Agba concert in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I had to, out of a sense of patriotism and because I had told the whole world I was going to an owambe in Brooklyn. Sitting in the second row less than fifteen feet from the stage, I felt the energy of the opening group, Faaji Agba. There was no way one could tell that they were all more than twice my age, with 84 year old Fatai Rolling Dollar crooning "if you marry a Nigerian lady, make you give am money, if you don't give her money, she go run away". However, it was when Seun Kuti got on stage that I really felt the vibe of the 5,000 strong capacity crowd gyrating to the familiar afro-beats. With "Fela Lives" tattooed to his back, Seun seemed to be channeling his father as he opened his set with Zombie, the hit song Fela recorded in the 70 s, lampooning the military. He had the crowd in his palm at "hello New York". Seun got political, ripping into the US for its involvement in Libya, arguing that the power was with the people and they could depose their leader themselves. Then he went after the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries and the side effects of their products, making a case for the legalization of marijuana. Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 , the band he inherited upon his father' s death, thoroughly entertained the crowd, leaving them hungry for more. Fortunately for those in New York, they will be able to get a second helping when the group performs again at S.O.B's located at 204 Varick Street, New York City on Wednesday, July 27 th, 2011 .
TT Owonubi
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