A new charity album for AIDS work will unite a number of artists to perform the work of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, including tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus and Roots drummer Questlove.
While neither a tracklisting nor a release date has been set for Red Hot + FELA, the project's first single brings together Garbus, Questlove, rapper Akua Naru and African singer Angélique Kidjo for a cover of Kuti's "Lady" (you can stream the original down below).
According to a blog post from the (RED) organization, which is working in conjunction with Red Hot to put the compilation together, the new version was recorded at Converse's Rubber Tracks in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The single will be available on iTunes on June 1.
The rest of the record is expected to arrive sometime this fall, and follows 2002's Red Hot + Riot, which featured Kuti covers from Sade and D'Angelo. Kuti died of AIDS-related complications in 1997.
On top of proceeds from the "Lady" single going towards AIDS research, (RED) will also begin a ten-day fundraising campaign on June 1 called (RED) RUSH TO ZERO, with an aim to end mother-to-child HIV by 2015. (RED) is also launching (RED ROWS) the same day, which will find artists like the XX, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Black Keys, Death Cab for Cutie, Metric, Coldplay, and the Killers auctioning off concert tickets for charity.
Thanks to Pitchfork for the tip.
While neither a tracklisting nor a release date has been set for Red Hot + FELA, the project's first single brings together Garbus, Questlove, rapper Akua Naru and African singer Angélique Kidjo for a cover of Kuti's "Lady" (you can stream the original down below).
According to a blog post from the (RED) organization, which is working in conjunction with Red Hot to put the compilation together, the new version was recorded at Converse's Rubber Tracks in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The single will be available on iTunes on June 1.
The rest of the record is expected to arrive sometime this fall, and follows 2002's Red Hot + Riot, which featured Kuti covers from Sade and D'Angelo. Kuti died of AIDS-related complications in 1997.
On top of proceeds from the "Lady" single going towards AIDS research, (RED) will also begin a ten-day fundraising campaign on June 1 called (RED) RUSH TO ZERO, with an aim to end mother-to-child HIV by 2015. (RED) is also launching (RED ROWS) the same day, which will find artists like the XX, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Black Keys, Death Cab for Cutie, Metric, Coldplay, and the Killers auctioning off concert tickets for charity.
Thanks to Pitchfork for the tip.