Knitting Factory Records

If there was ever a musician who lived and died for his art, it was Nigeria’s notorious Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Uncompromising, relentless, boisterous, angry, outrageous – those qualities define both his music, Afrobeat, and his controversial, tortured life (among other indignities, he was arrested some 200 times for his political convictions and purported crimes). Fela’s story recently made the transition to Broadway, of all places – exposure that will hopefully make more people aware of this brilliant artist. Meanwhile, Knitting Factory Records has begun to reissue 45 Fela albums, starting with this definitive 13-track compilation spread out over two CDs (Fela liked to stretch) – now, with a bonus documentary DVD ( A Slice of Fela ) tossed in. The selections, while only scratching the surface of his discography, are among Fela’s funkiest, most incendiary jams, while the DVD seals the deal with eye-opening concert footage and biographical context.