Artist Profile

BIGBIRD Kuti

BIGBIRD is the alter ego of Afrobeat icon Seun Kuti and Nigerian rap icon Vector, embarking on a new musical journey with lead single "The Matter" from the upcoming project BIGBIRD & THA VIPER—the first fusion of rap and Afrobeat with outstanding lyricism and wordplay, 808 drums, saxophone, and classical instrumentation. "The Matter" was inspired by Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti's "I No Get Eyes For Back" from Alagbon Close, sampling the horns and piano at the opening of the original track. Seun Kuti released four albums with Egypt 80: Many Things (2008), From Africa with Fury: Rise for Knitting Factory Records (2011, coproduced by Brian Eno and John Reynolds), A Long Way Beginning (2014), and the Grammy-nominated Black Times (2018) featuring Carlos Santana, plus numerous EPs. He has played for receptive audiences globally and collaborated widely. In 2022 he joined Roots frontman Black Thought on the EP African Dreams. In 2023 he appeared on Janelle Monáe's The Age of Pleasure (Grammy nominee for Album of the Year) on "Float" and "Knows Better," teamed with Talib Kweli and Madlib on Liberation 2 ("Nat Turner" featuring Cassper Nyovest), and released a new version of "Bad Man Lighter" with Black Thought featuring Vic Mensa.