DON GONYEA, HOST:
The Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti has a new album out. It's called "Journey Through Life."
(SOUNDBITE OF FEMI KUTI SONG, "POLITICS DON EXPOSE THEM")
GONYEA: The album draws inspiration from jazz, funk and West African music, and it pays homage to the Afrobeat sound that Femi's father, Fela Kuti, helped create in the 1960s. Kuti spoke to us from his home in Nigeria. We discussed his inspiration for the album and asked him to describe a few standout tracks.
FEMI KUTI: I thought it was important. I talked about things that have guided me through my life, so I came up with the title "Journey Through Life."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE")
KUTI: (Singing) As you pass through your journey in life...
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTISTS: (Singing) ...Remember it is just for a period of time.
KUTI: (Singing) Don't hold on to material things too tight.
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTISTS: (Singing) 'Cause you're going to have to let go after a while.
KUTI: (Singing) Keep all of your loved ones by your side.
It let me sing about virtues that I stand by and try to focus on to lead me in my life - family and tolerance and things like this. So it was how to put it in not too long a song, but catchy and meaningful.
(SOUNDBITE OF FEMI KUTI SONG, "JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE")
KUTI: There's another track called "Work On Myself."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WORK ON MYSELF")
KUTI: (Singing) Maybe we fit no change the world. But we can change the world within us. I'm going to work on myself. And bring out the very, very best.
And it's a summary of my state of mind, really, at this time, politically, socially. And since I can't pick up a gun or anything to be violent - and I'm really frustrated with global politics, and sometimes you just feel helpless - so I was thinking to myself that maybe the problem really is not trying to change the world but trying to change yourself.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WORK ON MYSELF")
KUTI: (Singing) Before I think, say the road to freedom dey near, as many great people don waka this e waka. I think say if I waka small, things go better, but now I see say the road to freedom dey far (ph).
The best way to solve a lot of issues is for one to look inwards, develop yourself physically, spiritually, mentally, 'cause at the end of the day, you are accountable to this - if there is life after death, of course.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WORK ON MYSELF")
KUTI: (Singing) Yes, I'm going to work on myself. Yes, I'm going to work on myself. Yes, I'm going to work on myself.
(SOUNDBITE OF FEMI KUTI SONG, "AFTER 24 YEARS")
KUTI: "After 24 Years" is - well, it's one of the favorites to play right now at the Shrine. It was - it's kind of slow, and, again, it's a summary of the political situation in Nigeria that - it's really addressing the situation but pinpoint in time. This now focuses on time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AFTER 24 YEARS")
KUTI: (Singing) Twenty-four years on, our government never perform. Dem just dey government dey chop. From 1999, with dey talk. They failed to repair our refineries. They pretend with their rivalries. They sit down together, they enjoy while the country, they destroy. Eleven thousand...
Everything's kind of slow, but you have a very melodious horn line (vocalizing).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AFTER 24 YEARS")
KUTI: (Singing) These politicians...
It's a very kind of sing-along - music like this, I like, because when you sing about something very hard, this sweet, melodious horn line catches the listener to want to listen. It's very important to find very sweet melody, so consciously or subconsciously, the listener will hear the message.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AFTER 24 YEARS")
KUTI: (Singing) Them don bastardize the economy. Abi oh, oh, oh.
GONYEA: That was musician Femi Kuti. His latest album, "Journey Through Life," is out now.
(SOUNDBITE OF FEMI KUTI SONG, "AFTER 24 YEARS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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