Femi Kuti

The eldest son of Afro-beat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Femi Kuti (born Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti) spent years playing in his father's band before eventually rising to superstardom following his father's death in the late '90s. Practicing a similar style of Afro-beat as his father, Femi helped introduce the percussive blend of jazz and funk music to the international masses beginning in the mid-'90s, along with his father's same sense of political activism. After his father's death in 1997, Femi suddenly found himself the subject of immense attention. He responded by signing with MCA and embarking on his solo career beginning with Shoki Shoki. He won critical celebration around the world and began mounting efforts to break into the U.S. mainstream in successive years. A year later, Femi returned with his second album, Fight to Win, and toured the States with Jane's Addiction in an effort to cross over to a more mainstream audience. Part of this crossover effort meant aligning himself closer to hip-hop and its sizable audience. Fight to Win featured a number of respected rap artists like Mos Def and Common. In 2008, after a decade of touring rather than recording, he re-emerged with his first album in seven years, Day by Day, a definitive album that helped to establish Femi as a true original with his own unique style.