Fela Kuti Tribute Album Red Hot + Riot Released on Streaming for the First Time

On World AIDS Day, December 1st, Red Hot will make the album available for the first time on streaming platforms, remastered, along with two hours of bonus material including an unreleased cover of “Sorrow Tears & Blood” by Bilal, an acoustic version of “Trouble Sleep” with Baba Maal accompanied by the legendary kora player Kaouding Cissoko and an extended version of Sade’s “By Your Side” by Stuart Matthewman.

The original album had to be heavily edited to fit the time limit of a physical CD, so there is a wealth of bonus material including extended versions of many tracks; along with early mixes, acapellas, instrumentals and more. The producers behind the project include Andres Levin, John Carlin, and Paul Heck.

Fela Kuti emerged as one of the most important African musicians and activists of his time. He died of causes related to HIV/AIDS in 1997, two years before Red Hot began the project. The idea came from Questlove at sessions for Red Hot’s Gershwin tribute album, which included a collaboration between The Roots and Bobby Womack. Questlove suggested that Red Hot do a cover of Sly Stone’s album There’s A Riot Goin On, but the rights couldn’t be cleared. The ongoing crisis of HIV/AIDS in Africa along with a love of Fela Kuti’s music transformed the project into its present form.

Red Hot secured the rights to Fela’s music as well as his master recordings, which allowed sampling as well as covering his songs. Questlove kicked things off with a superstar session at Electric Ladyland covering “Water Get No Enemy” led by D’Angelo and Fela’s son Femi Kuti. The band was a mix of the Soultronics (James Posner and Pino Pallodino along with D’Angelo and Questlove) and Femi’s band Positive Force.

Niles Rogers, Macy Gray, and Erykah Badu joined the session, although Erykah’s voice did not make the final mix. Red Hot producer Beco Dranoff brought the legendary Brazilian artist Jorge Ben Jor to the session too late to join, but he recorded the basic track of what became “Shuffering and Smiling” in another room at Electric Ladyland overseen by renowned Grammy-winning producer, band-leader, composer and filmmaker Andres Levin.

Original Album (2022 remastered)

Produced by John Carlin, Paul Heck, and Andres Levin

1. Fela Mentality (Intro) – Mixmaster Mike + Mario Caldato, Jr.
2. Kalakuta Show – Mixmaster Mike, Gift of Gab and Lateef (of Blackalicious)
3. Interlude: Live at Kalakuta – Posuma, Remedies, Taiwo, Segun, Tosin, Andres Levin
4. Shuffering and Shmiling – Dead Prez, Jorge Ben Jor, Talib Kweli, Jorge Ben, Bilal + Positive Force 
5. Interlude: Gimme Shit – Mixmaster Mike + Mario Caldato, Jr.
6. Water No Get Enemy – D’Angelo, Femi Kuti, Macy Gray + Questlove featuring Roy Hargrove, Nile Rodgers, The Soutronics + Positive Force
7. Gentleman – Meshell Ndegeocello + Yerba Buena featuring Ron Blake 
8. Tears + Sorrow – Common, Meshell Ndegeocello + Djelimady Tounkara 
9. Shakara / Lady (Part One) – Cheikh Lô 
10. Shakara / Lady (Part Two) – Cheikh Lô, Les Nubians, and Manu Dibango 
11. Don’t Worry About My Mouth O – Monoaural (Kassin + Berna Ceppas) 
12. Zombie (Part One) – Bugz in the Attic featuring Wunmi 
13. Zombie (Part Two) – Bugz in the Attic featuring Nile Rodgers + Roy Hargrove + Money Mark 
14. No Agreement – Tony Allen, Res, Ray Lema, Baaba Maal, Positive Black Soul + Archie Shepp 
15. So Be It – Kelis 
16. Interlude: This Is an Ashanti Proverb – Monoaural (Kassin + Berna Ceppas)
17. By Your Side – Sade (Cottonbelly Fola Remix – Edit) 
18. Colonial Mentality – Yerba Buena + Lenine
19. Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am – Baaba Maal + Taj Mahal featuring Kaouding Cissoko + Antibalas