Preview: "Fela for President" Featuring Rich Medina
Whether it was the driving beat of his Afrobeat music or his outspokenness on political issues, Fela Kuti made a statement. Having made such an impact, the fact that a decade after his death from AIDS–related complications he’s still revered shouldn’t be a surprise. His son, Femi, has done his part to keep his father’s work alive and so have numerous other artists. One of those artists, DJ Rich Medina, will deliver his own tribute during the “Fela for President” celebration which takes place the day prior to what would have been the pioneer’s 69th birthday.
For the Philly and NYC-based Medina, Kuti’s music is particularly attractive due to the fact “it’s undeniably funky and even more undeniably black.” Medina should know what constitutes funky, having spent years as a both a deejay and producer. His love of music began in the 1970s through an older sister who’d already developed a keen ear. Couple this with an upbringing in a Baptist church, where music was central to worship, and the solid foundation that has influenced his present-day work is clear.
Included on Medina’s resume is session time with the likes of Weldon Irvine and Don Blackman. He was responsible for “Watching Me” on Jill Scott’s multi-platinum debut, Who Is Jill Scott?. The culmination of his early production efforts came with the release of his 2005 album, Connecting The Dots.
The overall mood of many Medina-crafted tracks can best be described as laid back, usually with smooth vocals provided by either a singer or himself. Regarding his deejay sets, Medina tends to favor obscure dance tracks from the 1970s, but still won't allow himself to be easily pegged.
"There’s no such thing as a ‘typical’ music selection. As soon as your set gets ‘typical,’ a DJ is out of work," Medina said. "The art of being a DJ is tailor-making your selections at each event. Typical DJs are boring.”
True indeed. Medina did, however, hint at what attendees at Sunday’s Liv show could experience. “Since the fact it’s a Fela Kuti tribute party, people will get their fair share of Fela Kuti, other Afro Soul selections, and whatever else I can get away with.” It seems as though the creative and unorthodox spirit of Kuti will definitely be in the house.
Photo from the Fusicology website
Rich Medina performs at Liv Sunday, Oct. 14. Also performing will be The Painted Lady Performance Project and the SoulControllers. Doors at 10 p.m. $10 with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit AIDS/HIV awareness in Africa.