Adebowale and the Pioneers - Kilofese Adebowale and the Pioneers

When we were approached by Adebowale Osunnibu with what would become Kilofese, we knew he had something special. Aside from Fela Kuti’s own band, Egypt 80 (lead now by his son, Seun Kuti), it is astoundingly rare to find Afrobeat music being made in its home of Lagos, Nigeria. In fact, Adebowale performed with Egypt 80 for many years on Baritone Saxophone, deepening his understanding of the music he grew up listening to. This is why when he told us that he was crafting his own music, bringing his voice to the forefront, and working with the next generation of students in Lagos, we couldn’t wait to hear it. Given his training in the most long-standing Afrobeat band of all time, we shouldn’t have been surprised with what he sent us: an album packed with powerful vocals, cascading horn lines, and relentlessly driving grooves. From the slow-burn of “AJO” to the uptempo frenzy of “Kilofese”, each song is carried by a cannon of rhythm to deliver messages of freedom, culture, and joy.

“Kilofese”, translating to “do what you want to do” in Yoruba, is meant in direct opposition to government control. The cornerstone of Afrobeat, distinguishing itself from its Highlife and Funk predecessors, is the disdain for colonial rule, government corruption and oppression to the common people. With the backbone of James Brown-infused funk, Yoruban sensibilities, and Tony Allen’s ingenious drumming, these sentiments were imbued by Fela Kuti to Nigeria and the rest of the world, resounding through decades up to this very moment. Kilofese is an album that reverberates this sound into future generations with originality while maintaining the strength in the classic sound of Afrobeat.