Mádé Kuti was born September 26, 1995, in Nigeria. He is the son of renowned Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti, and grandson of the founder of Afrobeat, the legendary Fela Kuti.
Mádé grew up in the iconic New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, and spent much of his childhood touring with his father, playing bass or saxophone in Positive Force. Unlike his father, who didn’t formally study music, Mádé went to the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London (the same place Fela studied, back when it was known simply as Trinity College), where he shared a musical environment with some of the most talented and disciplined musicians up-and-coming acts from the city’s underground scene.
Mádé’s 2021 debut album ‘For(e)ward’ was part of a special two-album package released with his father Femi titled ‘Legacy +’. ‘For(e)ward’ is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing the boundaries of Afrobeat; Mádé performed every instrument on the album.
In 2022, Mádé released a series of singles, including “Stand Tall” and “No More Wars”.
(headline image: Mádé Kuti – Photo by Chris Onah)
Discography:
Legacy + (Partisan Records, 2021)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.