Deep Listening: Fela Kuti - Gentleman

Our latest Deep Listening highlights the pioneer of Afrobeat.

Deep Listening is a new series in which The Vinyl Factory spins monumental albums and songs, both contemporary and classic, in the Devon Turnbull Listening Room at The Vinyl Factory: Reverb Exhibition in 180 Studios.

A meditative listening room created by New York artist Devon Turnbull and programmed by The Vinyl Factory, the space allows visitors to listen to music on a handmade, high-fidelity sound system. Its plush, minimalist interiors have enthralled visitors to The Vinyl Factory: Reverb exhibition and played host to events with The Blessed Madonna, Stephen O’Malley, and many more.

In our latest Deep Listening session, we’ve been celebrating the life of Fela Kuti by listening to his 1973 classic Gentleman.

Born in Nigeria in 1938, Fela Kuti was a musician and activist widely credited with the creation of the genre Afrobeat – a sound which combines West African music, such as traditional Yoruba music with American sounds like jazz and funk. Often joined by his band Africa ’70 or Egypt ’80, Kuti used his music to confront the Nigerian government and challenge colonialism and corruption.

Despite his death in 1997, Kuti left behind an expansive collection of over 50 albums and Gentleman is one of the most celebrated.