Afrobeat star Seun Kuti enlists Damian Marley for Dey single

‘Dey’ is the first single from Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band’s forthcoming new album Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) which arrives on 4 October.

Seun and Damian are descendants of iconic musician-activists. Seun’s father, Fela Kuti, is widely credited as the founder of Afrobeat, while Damian’s father, Bob Marley, is a pioneering reggae figure.

Kuti said he was excited about the collaboration, adding that it “depicts African unity and African art. We are two performers, both from the dynasty of Africa, with a huge continental divide, singing about similar struggles. 

“It doesn’t matter where we are positioned in this world; very few African people receive notability – we are, for the most part, seen as the underdog. Therefore, this song is all about embracing and championing who we are, regardless.”

Earlier this month, Seun Kuti revealed that American rockstar Lenny Kravitz will executive produce the new LP, working with Sodi Marciszewer, who was Fela Kuti’s original producer. The project is also expected to feature guest acts from around the world.

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 are currently in the middle of their North America tour. The tour, which commenced on 8 June, includes 18 dates, with free performances in Brooklyn and Chicago. It concludes on 27 July.