Recent Decents #8 — Fat-funk, Train-rap, Afrobeat.
Billy Stewart, Your Old Droog, Made Kuti
In every hope that we’re turning some sort of corner (or at least peeping around it) in 2021, only 1 of these 3 Recent Decent tracks focuses on the impending doom of our civilisation.
The other 2 are simple, easy-going heartbreakers.
Amongst all the madness, it feels like we might need a member of the Kuti family to unite behind. The 3rd track is from Fela’s grandson Made who is about to enter the family business and into a world potentially more divided than when his grandfather was pioneering (with much controversy) a new genre to the world whilst shaking up the establishment.
1. Billy Stewart, “Cross My Heart”, 1967
How are you not going to love a song with a chorus of “this fat boy’s gonna love you”?
Originally a relatively tame hit for Sunny & the Sunliners, Billy took it and went big with it, literally. Adding in the “fat” line and beefing out the whole sound with lush strings and dreamy harmonies throughout.
It’s his delivery that gets me though. Pure romantic heartache and desperation.
His eccentric but genius cover of “Summertime” is a treat too.
Discovered by Bo Diddley and helped on his way by Marvin Gaye and Don Covay before eventually signing with Chess, he died just 32 in a car accident.
2. Your Old Droog, “Train Love”, 2019.
A simple, touching tale of riding the New York subways hoping to catch a second glimpse of a missed soul mate, it’s hard not to smile to this track.
Y.O.D. had an intriguing start to his career as rumours circulated that his releases were actually a Nas alter-ego. If that wasn’t a savvy marketing move from Y.O.D. himself then it’s definitely high praise.
Instead, he is a 20-something Ukrainian-American from Brooklyn (“droog” being Ukrainian for “friend”).
This track sits on top of a sample of the great Delegation track, “Oh Honey”, a British funk band from the ’70s backed by the writing team behind The Real Thing.
3. Made Kuti, “Free Your Mind”, 2020.
We’re all the way down to Fela Kuti’s grandchildren now.
Made Kuti, son of Femi and grandson of Fela, is set to release his first solo album, For(e)ward, next month as part of a double release with his father’s, Stop the Hate album.
What a legacy Fela Kuti left. Not just the 50 albums he put out in his lifetime and the immeasurable cultural impact he had in bringing afrobeat to the forefront of the musical world but his lineage has carried on his tradition.
A talented multi-instrumentalist who plays all the instruments on this track, Made follows the family sound with relentless beats and energy driving the track forward.
