Rolling Stone is premiering the first collaboration between a seemingly unlikely but delightful pair of iconic artists: Afrobeat star Seun Kuti and Posdnuos of De La Soul linked up for “Stand Well Well (Grand Stand Version),” a cut from Kuti forthcoming deluxe edition of Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head), out May 28. The new song reimagines a version from Kuti’s original album, which came out in October. The pair have long been mutual fans, they tell Rolling Stone.
“My tour manager and amazing friend, who has since passed on, had worked in the past with Fela,” Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, or Pos, says. “He would tell us about his powerful young son who was the second coming! Already being a student of Fela Kuti, I easily gravitated to Seun’s music!”
Of Pos, Kuti says, “The best thing about collaborating is the expansion of the vision. You know, the vision truly becomes big and profound, when we collaborate as artists.” Pos takes aim at social media’s influence on us in his take on “Stand Well Well,” Kuti’s upbeat ode to staying steadfast and headstrong in a superficial world. ““A penny for your thoughts can’t be collected/When a filter for your face is all what’s respected/A digital world has coached us to be unfocused and not perfected,” he raps. “We need to wean ourselves of self-degradation/and learn to king-and-queen ourselves.”
Kuti’s confident assessment is backed by a resounding choir and regal horns. “The whole world just dey look like copy and paste/Like everybody get the same likes and get the same tastes,” he sings. “They just wanna ball/they no care about freedom/they just wanna ball/they no care about justice.”
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As the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Seun Kuti has built a nearly lifelong career of evolving his father’s impactful style of socio-political music. He took on the mantle of leading Fela’s former band, Egypt 80, and has collaborated with other modern Black music mavens like extraordinaire Black Thought, Janelle Monáe, and Damian Marley. Pos, is, of course, is a legend in his own right, as one third of influential rap group De La Soul. “Seun is a powerful soul and it’s inspirational being around him whenever I have,” Pos tells Rolling Stone. “The best thing about collaborating with him was finally doing a song together!”
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Seun Kuti’s Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) Deluxe Edition will also feature Kamasi Washington, Alborosie, and Adi Oasis. The original was produced by Lenny Kravitz, who Kuti & Egypt 80 are touring with for six dates in April through December. Kuti and his band will also headline a US tour starting in April, starting with four nights at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City. They’re also set to perform at Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Tickets can be found here. In January, Posdnous and Maseo played De La Soul’s first New York City show in nearly two years, joined by Talib Kweli, the Jungle Brothers, and Pete Rock. This month, De La Soul re-released their 2004 album The Grind Date as an expanded edition. In 2023, De La Soul co-founder Trugoy the Dove died.
