Lagos Thugs ‘Chaos’ By DJ Ness Afro

Back in March last year Ness Radio was one of the firt media worlwide to write on Lagos Thugs first single ‘INNOCENT BLOOD ( Let it be known)’

Now we are happy to probably publish the very first review of their brilliant debut album.
Lagos, Nigeria – Lagos Thugs, the vibrant Afrobeat sensation hailing from Nigeria release their highly anticipated debut album after an exhilarating journey of musical exploration and creativity.
Lagos Thugs are a Nigerian, Lagos-based Afrobeat band led by singer & saxophonist Adetunji Adeyemi. The band, comprising 12 young talented musicians, seamlessly fuses afrobeat with jazz, dub, and traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa.
Lagos Thugs Unveils Debut Afrobeat Album After 3 Years of Crafting Authentic Sound, ask any Afrobeat band in the world, they surely have heard their music and consider them as one of the best contempary Afrobeat Band.
Founded in 2020 by Adetunji Adeyemi under the name « The Lagos Thugs Afrobeat », the group performed for the first time on 29 January 2021 at the Bature Brewery in Lagos during a musical evening organised by the famous Nigerian trumpet player ETUK UBONG. In the following weeks, the group consolidated with a core of fifteen members and expanded its repertoire of original compositions. In the first year of the band’s existence, they managed to secure a Friday night residency at Bature Brewery Vi in March 2021; the residency lasted from March until the opening ceremony, which they always headlined.
Lagos Thugs have been touring Nigerian Jazz Festivals and have been chosen as the opening band for many of Seun Kuti’s gigs from The Shrine to The Alliance Francaise. New Year’s eve gig with Seun Kuti whom recently collaborated with Common & Black Thought from The Roots was even broadcasted on MTV Africa. After winnig the MOP (Mouvement of the People) Award , they met with Amayo & Antibalas in Nigeria during the Felabration last year.The Brooklyn based band was so impressed with their music that they decided to feature Lagos Thugs in the upcoming Netflix Antibalas documentary, they did interviews and you wil also l see live footage of the band during Felabration.
GET TO KNOW LAGOS THUGS

After contacting DJ Ness Afro ( Ness Radio / Afrodiziak) on social media late 2021 for their very first single ‘INNOCENT BLOOD ( Let it be known)’ , they decided to co produce a full album with him and work with his team in France and also in the UK with Lee Bright from Tangential Music https://www.instagram.com/tangential_music/ home of great artists such as Nimbus Sextet, Mr Bird, Milton Gulli, Ex-Friendly or Joanna Law to name a few.

The album was mixed and mastered in Paris by Kino Doscun, Opera Garnier & Youthie’s outsdanding sound engineer & multi instrumentalist. Together with Kino Doscun & DJ Ness Afro, Lagos Thugs wanted an analogic warm 70’s unique raw sound away from most contempary Afrobeat productions. The Art Work for their second single ‘New Improved Elephant’ was created by Sonia Bela.
Out of this album 4 tracks are featuring on this debut album, first two singles INNOCENT BLOOD ( Let it be known) and NEW IMPROVED ELEPHANT already released and 2 new tracks never heard before. Those new songs are very powerfull, KALAKUTA PRESIDENT, the opening track is their tribute to the originator of the genre that they represent “AFROBEAT” Fela Anikulapo Kuti aka Kalakuta President is a song to always pay their homages to the black president of Africa.
The beautifull nostalgic emotional voice of Adetunji Adeyemiis full of love, sincerity and endless respect for Fela with the sweet backing Female vocals match perfectly that special atmosphere that could easily bring tears to the listeners’ eyes. It’s a perfect pure Afrobeat blend between that heavy bass and the powerfull horn section with that epic trumpet solo which will give you goosebump. Art work of the album was done in Lagos by Austncre8tive and the photo taken by Bruce iv.
The second new song is WETIN I SEE featuring Kiala Nzavotunga.
Working with legendary Kiala on this song , original Egypt 80 Fela kuti guitarist who also played with Roy Ayers ( 2.000 Blacks) was like a dream come true for the band. He is playing rythm guitar and does some amazing guitar arrangements.
This tune talks about the things happening as African in their country. People in charge and admistration will awlays tell you to wait and see, when you perfectly undersatnd that it means no ! AFrica a continent that keeps suffering despite all they possess. Also it’s a statement about the poor educational systems of the country. Talks about the religious leaders not practicing what they preach !

Lagos Thugs connection with Guts was bound to happened for his latest compilation STRAIGHT FROM THE DECKS 3 on Heavenly Sweetness.

Afer many messages on social media betwen Guts and DJ Ness Afro a big step was on the way for the band.:
 » They’re a young incerdible band from Nigeria called Lagos Thugs, and this track, « Innocent Blood », in the great Afrobeat tradition, was their first composition.But it’s impossible to find the unmastered studio version, so as it’s inconceivable for me to press a vinyl with a mastered digital version, thanks to the precious help of their producer Ness Errahmani aka DJ Ness Afro, the band agreed to re-record this track in Nigeria, and a big thank you to MrGib Lfe for the mixing »So here’s the only version of my compilation of the track « Innocent Blood »
GUTS
Lagos Thugs have been supported by the following national radios acroos the world , Jazz FM in London, Radio Nova in France , Couleurs 3 in Switzerland ,Radio Antena 3 in Lisbonne, Ness Radio in Moroco & worlwide , Totally Wired & BTN in the UK , 102.7FM, 3RRR in Melbourne by Systa BB, Resonance Fm, The Outerglobe Debbie Gold who presented the band during the press conference of WOMADelaide Festival back in 2022
Now international artist like Ezra Collective mention them on national TV and PAM articles., K.O.G, Dele Sosimi or Protoje are also discovering Lagos Thugs. Upcoming excting projects with Ezra Collective, K.OG, Kaleta from Fela Kuti are planed in the months to come.

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By DJ Ness Afro