Afrobeat artiste Seun Kuti has announced a new album, “Black Times“.

According to him, “Black Times is a true reflection of my political and social beliefs; it is also dear to my heart because for the first time ever I wanted to own my masters, so I personally invested my funds in it. That gave me the opportunity to say the things I wanted to say”.

The album, which is the 35-year-old musician’s 5th body of work, was released under Strut Records and features a selected line-up of stars including the iconic guitarist Carlos Santana, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) and vocalist Nai Palm of future-soul quartet “Hiatus Kaiyote”.

Seun Kuti says:

“More than ever I am convinced of the mission and purpose of our music. Here I’m giving honour to my parents and to every revolutionary who has made a difference, many of them from before I was born. I wrote this album from a place of calm and love, I was thinking, ‘What if Africa had a philosopher king who was also a musician, who loved Alkebulan with all his heart? What sort of album would he make? What would he tell his people today?’ Too many African rulers do not have the country’s best interests at heart. Too many people in Africa and the West have sunk or are sinking into complacency. Black Times is an album for anybody who believes in change and understands the duty we have to rise up and come together. The system says we’re different. But the struggle makes us one.”