Duke Amayo served because the frontman of the group shaped in New York within the late 90s and thru his distinctive mix of martial artwork and music, he was capable of take the band’s music to a world viewers.
Amayo’s final act as a member of Antibalas was to craft the massively profitable grammy-nominated 2020 album ‘Fu Chronicles’.
After 23 years of main the ascension of Antibalas and recording 9 full-length albums and acting at over 2000 exhibits throughout 5 continents between 1998 – 2022 together with a formidable 4 instances at Carnegie Corridor, Amayo made the transfer to launch a solo profession that introduced collectively all of the very important features of his life and inventive evolution – martial artwork (Kung Fu), music, and trend.
On this Pulse interview, Duke Amayo tells me about his journey into music, his inventive evolution, being a pupil of ‘Felalogy’, main the Antibalas to international fame, and the choice to enterprise out on his personal, in addition to his upcoming album ‘The Lion Awakes’.
Amayo joined me on a zoom name few hours earlier than stepping into full preparation for his efficiency at Felabration 2022. It was the final day of the annual Fela pageant that pulls artists, creatives, and followers from internationally, and Amayo is likely one of the artists performing on the grand finale.
From my display screen, I might see Fela’s mural boldly drawn on his T-Shirt. His lengthy dreads had been packed away in a shawl with an African print. He had a vibrant smile with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Do I take advantage of portrait or panorama?” he requested me as he set his telephone on the desk in entrance of him.
“, I am not used to this new iPhone,” he chuckles.
We settled for portrait mode which allowed me to see get a full view of Amayo’s dreads and his T-shirt.
Amayo’s journey into music is a lifelong one which dates again to when he was a younger boy rising up in Lagos. He was born into a big household of music lovers and because the final sibling with a easy younger face and a young voice, Amayo was naturally the Michael Jackson of his household’s Jackson 5.
“I used to be born into a big household. My mom was the final spouse and I used to be her solely little one. So, my siblings and I imitated the Jackson 5 who had been making waves on the time and since I used to be the youngest, I had the nicest voice, and I additionally danced, I used to be the Michael Jackson of the household.”
Amayo tells me Music got here to him naturally and it was a gate go into the unique social occasions that occurred in Lagos earlier than the civil warfare.
“I bear in mind following my Dad and uncles to occasions and on the gate, they are going to ask me to bounce. Each time I dance like James Brown or Michael Jackson, we had been all the time allowed into the occasions so I used to be capable of watch a number of huge artists carry out throughout these days.”
Amayo’s life like that of thousands and thousands of different Nigerians shall be affected by the Nigerian civil warfare that raged for 30 months between 1967 – 1970. Whereas the civil warfare raged on, Amayo and his household relocated to Ghana and that was the place he picked up one other inventive factor that may come to form his artwork and music. Amayo remembers how he obtained drawn to martial artwork whereas in Ghana the place at weekends, the property he lived hosted sparring matches for the children.
“When my household moved to Ghana through the Civil warfare, the property we lived then used to have these weekend fights the place children are skilled in Kung Fu and martial artwork. There was no preventing on the streets and no matter disagreement you may have, you wait until the weekend and settle it within the enviornment. That was how I obtained inquisitive about Kung Fu and it continued after we returned to Lagos.”
After the Civil warfare ended, Amayo’s household returned to Nigeria and through that point, he was capable of watch the good American musician James Brown carry out dwell and that was a turning level for him. Seeing tens of 1000’s of individuals packed within the stadium to see James Brown and as a younger boy, he needed to climb a tree to behold James Brown in all his greatness, and that sight awoke one thing in Amayo.
“I used to be capable of see many huge artists carry out. I very a lot bear in mind Stevie Surprise and James Brown. For James Brown, I used to be nonetheless a small boy and my dad and mom did not need me to hitch the gang within the stadium however I snuck out and climbed a tree to look at him. I could not probably miss the chance to see the artist I used to be imitating on a regular basis carry out dwell.”
Amayo’s love for Kung Fu and music continued after he left Nigeria as a young person for Howard College. He tells me that his journey to develop into a part of Antibalas group began in New York Metropolis within the ;ate 90s the place he had a trend outlet that fuses Africanism with Kung Fu for what he describes as Afro-futurism. The individuality of his artwork was what attracted the primary members of the Antibalas band to him and it was what ushered his entrance into the band.
“Once I was in New York, two white guys confirmed up in the future they usually beloved among the prints. , I used to be promoting Kung Fu attires however with a contact of African prints. It was distinctive and totally different. It was by means of this that they instructed me about their music and their plans to start out a band.”
Amayo tells me that he knew that and not using a black man, it is going to be troublesome for the group to make Fela’s Afrobeat. He believes there is a spirit behind Fela’s Afrobeat and for the group to make such music, it wanted the id solely a black man who can faucet into that spirit can present.
Whereas a number of Nigerian artists of various technology are fascinated by Fela, Amayo appears to have a dedication and perceive that extends past inventive admiration.
“I am a pupil of ‘Felalogy’, “ he stated excitedly earlier than continuing to inform me about how Fela’s Afrobeat was pushed by a unique spirit and he did not suppose it was proper to easily replicate it 1000’s of miles away in a clime the place the socio-cultural realities had been totally different.
“After they instructed me to hitch the band, it was I and my good friend. My good friend discover it unusual that some white guys needed to make Afrobeat and he wasn’t . I discover the thought to be fascinating as I already had plans to make music so I made a decision that if I used to be approaching board I shall be bringing my particular contact slightly than simply making an attempt to duplicate what Fela did.”
Amayo tells me how he introduced the spirit of Kung Fu and blended Afrobeat and different sounds. It was with this particular sound that Antibalas was capable of take their Afrobeat sound to listeners throughout America and past.
Making Afrobeat in a soundscape the place such sound is completely overseas to the first shoppers required imposing creativity to make the music interesting. I requested Amayo how Antibalas had been capable of pull this off and he tells me it was about crafting a sound that speaks to the soul of the listeners.
“Music wants to talk to your soul and generally, it may be simply the percussions or the strings that join along with your spirit. So we took all these totally different devices from Africa, Latin America, and past and put it collectively in a manner that totally different components communicate to the soul of listeners.”
After 23 years of main the ascension of Antibalas and recording 9 full-length albums and acting at over 2000 exhibits throughout 5 continents between 1998 – 2022 together with a formidable 4 instances at Carnegie Corridor, Amayo made the transfer to launch a solo profession that introduced collectively all of the very important features of his life and inventive evolution – martial artwork (Kung Fu), music, and trend. I requested him what motivated this choice and he tells me he took the choice way back however lastly determined after placing out the Grammy-nominated ‘Fu Chronicles’.
“Since round 2010, I had been planning on having my band and creating my type of music. You see ‘Fu Chronicles’ was birthed by my need to merge Kung Fu and music. After the album, I made a decision it was time to lastly begin my band.”
Amayo’s band is solely referred to as ‘AMAYO’ which implies – in case you do not go, you’ll by no means know. He has managed to hitch forces with previous buddies a few of whom he performed with as a part of Antibalas. His band options shekere, guitar, bass, flute, violin, drums, percussion, and horns. Amayo’s songs information individuals by means of Kung Fu actions and tales of the Nigerian Edo & Ife Kingdoms.
He tells me that his band is coming collectively and they aren’t primarily involved with arising with a particular tag as they’re pushed by the identical inventive spirit.
“The band is coming collectively. , they’re among the guys I met from the band so we aren’t bothered about arising with a reputation. They’re cool with being described as Amayo because it captures the spirit of the music.”
As an anointed Orisha “Awo” Amayo sings conventional Nigerian spirituals and tales which have been handed down in a sacred lineage. Amayo has been a senior grasp (Sifu) of the Jow Ga Kung Fu Faculty of martial arts since 1982 and performs the standard Chinese language Lion Dance as a salutation ritual to start his stage performances to carry success to the viewers.
Amayo is about to launch a brand new album he calls ‘The Lion Awakes’. In regards to the new album, he tells me it is a particular music which he gave listeners a glimpse of with ‘Fu Chronicles’. The album shall be launched along with his new band and he shall be showcasing totally different components of his artistry together with infusing some feminism in his music which isn’t restricted to the themes and backup dancers. His trend is impressed by his mom whose attires he repurposed into his stage put on.
“I write songs about social justice, gender equality, and different such aware subjects however I do it with my distinctive fashion. A number of the garments I put on on stage are my late mother’s apparel which I simply repurposed so I consider her spirit is all the time with me.”
Through the interview which had lasted almost 40 minutes, Amayo’s telephone rang on three events, and every event was a reminder that he had a efficiency to arrange for.
Earlier than ending the interview, we mentioned the strides Afrobeats is making globally and I requested Amayo how he thinks the Nigerian music business ought to make sure that the story of the rise of Afrobeats is a really Nigerian one.
He tells me it is all about first understanding that African components make up the sound then we are able to all the time know that come what might, the sound can by no means be stolen because the African factor can by no means be completely recreated.
“The youthful technology wants to grasp the African sound that make Afrobeats what it is. The West can say it is influenced by Hip Hop and Pop however with out that African sound, there might be no Afrobeats. When you perceive the African sound, no person can take the sound away.”
His response philosophical simply as he had achieved for many of the interview. A pupil of ‘Felalogy’. That explains all the things.
