If you haven’t heard anything yet of J.Period & K’Naan’s ‘The Messengers’ project you haven’t been paying attention. All three chapters have now been compiled into the ‘Deluxe Edition’ including some bonus tracks not included on the previous installments. You really want to download this as it’s definitely Mixtape Of The Year material.
DOWNLOAD: J.Period & K’Naan – The Messengers (Deluxe Edition)
I would’ve posted this earlier but my Mac was in the hospital for a few days. The Messengers series is more than just a tribute to three of the greatest voices of our time. It’s also K’Naan’s way of honoring his own musical influences. This one packs bubbling mid-tempo jams. It’s my favorite of the series so far. If you haven’t already done so, go ahead and treat yourself to The Messengers Pt. 3: Bob Dylan.
The Messengers (Episode 1: Fela Kuti) is the first of three EPs by K’naan and J Period designed to pay homage to three cultural icons: Fela Kuti, Bob Dylan, and Bob Marley.
Many of the songs here are blends of K’naan’s Troubadour and assorted Fela instrumentals. K’naan’s first verse on “Got My Dream,” for instance, was extracted from “America.”
If you’re like me and are already acquainted with nearly every recording in Fela’s discography, you may not fully appreciate K’naan’s effort here. To newly converted disciples, however, The Messengers Episode 1 should serve as a competent primer on Fela’s unique Afrobeat sound. Extra cool points for the autobiographical interludes.
Pop the hood for tracklist and download link.
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