afrobeat

IG Culture (real name Ian Grant) is a London musician and performer best known as a pioneer of the broken beat movement. His production features rhythms and hybrids of several musical styles such as jazz-fusion, funk and soul. IG Culture first became known as a member of the hip-hop duo Dodge City Productions in 1990. After the demise of that outfit, he founded an independent record label One Drop Interouter which released four albums. Later, he worked with the People and founded the Main Squeeze labels.

Read more about IG Culture on Last.fm.

Femi Kuti is an award winning Nigerian musician, and the oldest son of legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Femi was born in London on 16 June 1962 and grew up in the former Nigerian capital Lagos. Like his father, Femi has shown a strong commitment to social and political causes throughout his career, but he differs in his religious views. In 2001, Femi collaborated with a number of US musicians such as Common, Mos Def, and Jaguar Wright, on his Fight to Win album. This album was widely regarded as the most influential Neo-Afrobeat album of the early 21st century.

Biography by Nate Cavalieri Few artists have been as crucial to the invention, development, and popularization of Afro-pop than Orlando Julius. Starting in the '60s, Julius was fusing traditional African sounds and rhythms with those of American pop, soul, and R&B. Aside from performing and recording in his native Nigeria, he spent many years in the United States working on collaborations with Lamont Dozier, the Crusaders, and Hugh Masekela. His 1966 effort, Super Afro Soul, made him a national celebrity in Nigeria and even went so far as to influence music in the United States.

Read more about Orlando Julius on Last.fm.

Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician. He was the drummer for the band The Police and is an influential drum stylist. Copeland is also popular for a wealthy catalogue of SOUNDTRACKS. During the early days of The Police he also released music under the (then secret) pseudonym of Klark Kent. In the late 80's's Copeland formed the band Animal Logic, who released two albums before their demise. He is also a member of the supergroup Oysterhead.