Today was an interesting day at Now-Again headquarters: we received word back from one of the producers of the Fela! musical on Broadway – a West African aficionado for the past thirty years – that our Black Man’s Cry anthology passed his muster. And then we received this lovely review from hip hop mainstay okayplayer.com. Gotta love the cross over between hip hop and Afro-Beat’s godfather, even though it’s been almost twenty years since Pete Rock first sampled “Water Get No Enemy” for his brothers in INI.

From okayplayer.com’s review:

“In that respect, Black Man’s Cry is an impeccably (and in the case of the artwork and liner notes, lovingly) compiled tribute to a huge talent. And the wonderful part about it is that it only begins to scratch the surface of Fela’s inspiration, musical and political. And that’s the greatest tribute you can pay to such a legend.”

Link: Black Man’s Cry reviewed at okayplayer.com

Yeah, we bemoan the state of American journalism too often ’round here. But every once in a while we read some (ahem) complimentary pieces and we have to reassess our position.

This past week, both the LA Weekly and the LA Times ran pieces on our Black Man’s Cry anthology, released on 2/23. Well, the LA Weekly piece was an overall piece on the label, but we’re never that self-congratulatory. Here’s an excerpt from the LA Times piece:

“Perhaps seeking to provide further context to this ongoing Fela-palooza, the rare-groove and hip-hop label Now-Again explores Fela’s broad influence with “Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti,” coming out Tuesday. Sumptuously packaged like a hardcover book, the album collects rare and previously unreleased recordings by artists from Fela’s heyday and after who followed in his footsteps around the world.”

Read the LA Times piece by clicking here.
Read the LA Weekly piece by clicking here.

Today marks the worldwide release of our Fela anthology Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti. We threw a record release party this past Sunday at Palate Food and Wine in Los Angeles. We told you it would be worth the drive – Cut Chemist, J.Rocc and Egon played six hours of the deepest African music they could get their hands on, good Burgundy flowed all eve, interested passersby munched on goat tacos and an overwhelming feeling of funkiness abounded.

Check out photos here.
…. And if you haven’t bought the album yet, it’s in and shipping at Stones Throw’s webstore.

If you’re in L.A. – or if you’re within driving distance – you’re sleeping if you’re not hanging out with us on Sunday. Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration Of Fela Kuti out everywhere good music is available on Tuesday, 2.23.

They’ve just arrived and damn do they look beautiful! The limited edition 4 x 10″ vinyl box set of our Fela Kuti-inspired anthology Black Man’s Cry is in and shipping immediately from Stones Throw’s webstore. Out everywhere 2.23.

Buy it here. And, don’t forget the download, if you haven’t already gotten it!

Link: Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti
Download: Dan Satch and his Atomic 8 Dance Band: “Woman Pin Down.”
More Info and Pictures at Stones Throw here.

Buy it here. And, while you’re reading and waiting for your box set to arrive, download one of the top tracks from the anthology for free! Call it a Now-Again New Years’ Gift.

Link: Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti
Download: Dan Satch and his Atomic 8 Dance Band: “Woman Pin Down.”
More Info and Pictures at Stones Throw here.

Buy it here.

1. Cumbia Moderna De Soledad Shacalao 3:42
2. Dan Satch and his Atomic 8 Dance Band Woman Pin Down 2:52
3. 6th Infantry Brigade of the Nigerian Army Black And Proud 3:33
4. Bola Johnson Hot Pants 2:52
5. Segun Bucknor Adebo 5:52
6. Bola Johnson Never Trust A Woman 5:13
7. Jerry Hansen Sisi Mi 5:31
8. Daktaris Up Side Down 4:14
9. Phirpo Y Sus Caribes Comencemos 2:11
10. Lever Brothers Gay Flamingoes Egbi Mi O/Black Man’s Cry (Medley) 9:53
11. Mosco Tiles Fonclaire Steel Orchestra Black Man’s Cry 4.28
12. Sylvania East Side Symphony Egbi Mi O/Black Man’s Cry (Medley) 2:58
13. Lisandro Meza Shacalao 3:43
14. Karl Hector and The Malcouns Toure Samar 3:17
15. Whitefield Brothers Lullaby For Lagos 2:39

NA 50566 Hardbound book with CD and 4 10″ LP Box Set. 2010.

Compilation produced, annotated and researched by: Egon
Liner notes by: Egon.

Restoration and remastering by Sean C., Traffic Entertainment Group, Boston.
Art direction by Trevor Karma Gendron

Download high res cover art here.