The cover art for "Newen Plays Fela (Vol. II)," an extended play by Seun Kuti and Newen Afrobeat.

Newen Plays Fela (Vol. II)

“Newen Plays Fela” is Newen Afrobeat’s 2017 three-track tribute EP to Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. It reinterprets “Upside Down” and “Opposite People,” with an introductory track. Seun Kuti, Egypt 80, and Cheick Tidiane Seck contribute to “Opposite People,” strengthening the project’s connection to Fela’s musical legacy.

Newen Afrobeat is a Chilean Afrobeat musical group focusing on the political and social struggles of the Mapuche people of southern Chile and Argentina.

Newen Afrobeat

Newen Afrobeat is a Chilean musical group that plays Afrobeat music, which originated in Nigeria in the 1970s and was popularized by Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti. 

The group was formed in 2009 in Santiago, Chile, and has since become one of the most important Afrobeat bands in Latin America. Like Fela's, Newen Afrobeat's music is characterized by its energetic rhythms, intricate horn arrangements, and socially conscious lyrics that address issues such as social justice, environmentalism, and cultural identity. 

The group's music is heavily influenced by the political and social struggles of the Mapuche people, an indigenous group from southern Chile and Argentina, as well as the broader struggles of marginalized communities throughout Latin America and beyond. The band has released several albums, including "Newen Afrobeat" in 2012, "Newen Plays Fela" in 2014, and "Curiche" in 2018.