Oduduwa by Oluko Imo

Reissue of the 80s 12” single from Trinidadian musician Oluko Imo (Black Truth Rhythm Band), featuring Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti.

Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria.

On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.

On the flip, ‘Were Oju Le (Eyes Are Getting Red)’ is a long-lost slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti. Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo's Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela's virtuoso sax solo, bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain.

From the hills of Laventille outside Port of Spain to Lagos via Caracas and Brooklyn, the story of the striking and charismatic leader of Black Truth Rhythm Band is an important part of Trinidad’s music history.