“As the son of Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti, Seun Kuti carries a torch for infectious grooves and political songwriting.”
–National Public Radio
National 360° entertainment and hospitality powerhouse Knitting Factory Entertainment’s management division Knitting Factory Management (KFM) has signed renowned musician, producer, and bandleader Seun Kuti to the roster, manager Aaron Johnson announced today.
“Seun Kuti, like his father Fela, is more than a musician or a composer. He is an artist who speaks truth to power and won’t compromise his values or beliefs” says Johnson. “Being a part of Seun’s team is an honor and I’m excited for all the projects he has in the works, from albums with Egypt 80 to collaborations with other artists, Seun has a lot to show the world.”
Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis adds, “The Kuti family are part of Knitting Factory’s DNA; they are synonymous with our brand. We’re looking forward to expanding opportunities for Seun Kuti wherever we can find them, which we expect, will be everywhere.”
Seun Kuti said, “I am very happy to be a part of the Knitting Factory family again. Feels like home !! “
The youngest son of Fela Kuti, Seun Kuti is the standard-bearer of the Afrobeat Movement, a role he was literally born to play. He started opening for his dad at age nine and joined the band before he was twelve. He assumed leadership of the band Egypt 80 following his father’s passing in 1997 and has led it ever since.
Along the way, Seun both performed his father’s compositions and also added his own twists to the seminal music, digging deep into various African traditions to reflect the continent’s struggles and cultures. WM Recordings issued his debut album, Seun Kuti & Fela’s Egypt 80, which was later picked up for distribution by Mr. Bongo. While purists outside Africa may have criticized it for using the Egypt 80 name, critics and audiences embraced its musical drive and improvisational fervor. Mr. Bongo also released his Many Things set later that year.
In 2011, Seun recorded From Africa with Fury: Rise, his first album for Knitting Factory Records. Co-produced by Brian Eno and John Reynolds, this live set proved to be his breakthrough, and landed on both Billboard and digital international charts. Today, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80—still retaining three-quarters of the group that played, protested, and were arrested with his father—hopes to return to touring the globe relentlessly, reclaiming their reputation for playing multi-hour shows as heavy on group improvisation as they are on composition.
Kuti joins an artist roster at KFM that currently includes; the recently signed spoken word and recording artist, actor and fashion icon Saul Williams; !!! (generally pronounced “chk chk chk”); Bedouine; Fela! The Concert; Jontavious Willis; Jose Gonzalez, Junip; Kendra Morris; The Knitts; Lady Wray; Lee Fields and the Expressions; Moon Kissed; Pokey LaFarge, and Y La Bamba.
About Knitting Factory Entertainment
Founded in 1987 with its first venue opening in New York City, Knitting Factory Entertainment (www.knittingfactory.com) is a creative producer, manager and distributor of universal music content, film/TV and theatrical events.
Today, KFE comprises: The Federal gastropub in Los Angeles; multiple Knitting Factory concert venues; partnerships with Boomtown Brewery, The Regent Theatre and Arrive Hotel Palm Springs; a partnership with The Buckhead Group in multiple restaurants and bars; and is nearing the opening of three Coors Field-adjacent restaurants and bar concepts in Denver, CO with Fillmore Capital Group: El Tejano, Loaded, and Smash Face Brewery & Tap Room.
KFE boasts partnerships with Brooklyn-based indie label Partisan Records (featuring two Grammyâ nominated artists, Laura Marling and Fontaines D.C.); Knitting Factory Management, Left Music publishing; Selby Artist Management; Giant Step Marketing and Media, and the Connect Group. KFE also owns the tastemaker web property, The Talkhouse.
KFE’s national touring and promotions arm Knitting Factory Presents has also expanded its footprint, booking national acts across multiple states including, but not limited to Outlaw Field, Idaho, and Big Sky Brewery Amphitheatre in Montana, serving thousands of fans outdoors annually. KFP also services Fawcett Hall, WA; Slowdown, NE; and Elevation 27, VA, as a talent buyer. Other partnerships have also included: Rachel Ray’s Feedback in Chicago; Horton’s Hayride in California; the Maha Festival in Omaha; the Desert Daze Festival in Moreno Valley’ The Range Amphitheater, Walla Wall, WA; CMoore Concerts in the Pacific Northwest; and many others.