Ayalew Mesfin stands aside the likes of Mulatu Astake, Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergia and Alemayehu Eshete as a legend 1970s Ethiopia. The music he created with his Black Lion Band is amongst the funkiest to arise from Addis Ababa.
His life in Ethio-groove is now collected in a five album series – each album is sold individually and as part of value-priced OBI-wrapped “box set.”
ON SALE VIA RAPPCATS: AYALEW MESFIN – THE COMPLETE WORKS (5LP SET). SHIPPING IMMEDIATELY. MORE
Watch Egon and Madlib investigate Ethiopia’s 70s music scene with Ayalew Mesfin in this short film via Noisey
Earlier this year, Now-Again partnered with Vinyl Me, Please to issue Ethiopian funk legend Ayalew Mesfin’s Hasabe (My Worries) album; around the release of the album Egon traveled with Madlib to Denver to produce a special Madlib Medicine Show event around the release of the album, and Mesfin performed live.
Vice’s Noisey documented the proceedings and caught up with Egon, Madlib and Mesfin as they met, discussed and celebrated music. Watch it below.
Ayalew Mesfin is among the legends of the 1970s Ethiopian musical scene – his music is some of the funkiest to arise from this unconquerable East African nation. Ayalew was forced underground by the Derg regime that took control of the country in 1974. Now, over 40 years later, his triumphant return – and the first time that his music has been presented in album form – gives us a chance to discover a rare & beautiful moment in music history. MORE
Hasabe (My Worries), a Now-Again x Vinyl Me, Please release, the latter’s February 2018 Record of the Month. A variation of this album will see issue worldwide on Now-Again in late 2018.
Ayalew Mesfin is among the legends of the 1970s Ethiopian musical scene – his music is some of the funkiest to arise from this unconquerable East African nation. Ayalew was forced underground by the Derg regime that took control of the country in 1974. Now, over 40 years later, his triumphant return – and the first time that his music has been presented in album form – gives us a chance to discover a rare & beautiful moment in music history. Listen to his classic Ethiopian funk track “Libe Menta Hone” below.
Read more about this important release here. And watch a short film that introduces you to Ayalew’s story and his music: