Michael, Fela. Fela, Michael

October 15, 2010 10:17 AM

Rich Medina, one of New York City's most talented and innovative DJs and procuders, has put together "The King Meets The President In Africa", a ten-track mashup of Fela Kuti and Michael Jackson. Download it for free (if you're willing to trade an email address), or listen to all of the tracks on on the site's homepage.

Additional Medina mixes are available on his website.

posted by kosem (19 comments total)

I'll note that it's well worth giving the (fairly long) tracks a minute to develop. Some initially sound like Medina's just playing the two songs over one another. Not so. This is serious business.
posted by kosem at 10:19 AM on October 15, 2010

I should also mention that today is Fela Kuti's birthday. He would have been 72. Happy birthday, Mr. President.
posted by kosem at 10:28 AM on October 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

I like everything about this. Thanks!
posted by box at 10:29 AM on October 15, 2010

My wife is going to go NUTS over this. Thanks so much for posting it.
posted by Pecinpah at 10:35 AM on October 15, 2010

So someone was reading up on the lawsuit over "mama se mama sa mamakusa" and decided to actualize this?

'Bout time.
posted by Eideteker at 10:39 AM on October 15, 2010

I am super psyched about this idea... but listening to the Jackson Five singing over Water No Get Enemy just sounds like either defacing a great few solos, or like someone accidentally played two records at once. Hopefully some of the others work better, or maybe I just like Water No Get Enemy too much to listen to anyone ever screw around with it.
posted by ibmcginty at 10:41 AM on October 15, 2010

That's Manu Dibango.
posted by box at 10:41 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

Now I'm playing this MJ/Freddie Mercury duet at the same time.
posted by ibmcginty at 10:42 AM on October 15, 2010

I'll note that it's well worth giving the (fairly long) tracks a minute to develop. Some initially sound like Medina's just playing the two songs over one another. Not so. This is serious business.

Thanks for the tip, I tried two tracks and wasn't into it, but I'll press through.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:44 AM on October 15, 2010

This is a great idea! I'm very excited.
posted by OmieWise at 10:49 AM on October 15, 2010

Thriller Vs Zombie, Beat I.T.T., and Don't Stop Til You Get Enough are all excellent. I wasn't able to get into I Want You Back + Water No Get Enemy, but the others have been fantastic. Thanks for posting.
posted by ibmcginty at 11:12 AM on October 15, 2010

Huh. Download failed twice. Hope I can get a copy!
posted by yeloson at 11:15 AM on October 15, 2010

I love that this exists: forget the Beatles & Jay-Z -- if there's any promise to the mash-up, it will be realized with MJ and Fela. Beat I.T.T. leaves me cautiously optimistic. I'm looking forward to downloading this and spending more time with it.
posted by .kobayashi. at 11:33 AM on October 15, 2010

I've tried twice, with two different e-mail addresses, to get the download link. No dice. Would it be improper of me to request the link from someone for whom it DID work?

(Feel free to delete this comment if so.)
posted by CommonSense at 1:47 PM on October 15, 2010

I've tried twice, with two different e-mail addresses, to get the download link. No dice. Would it be improper of me to request the link from someone for whom it DID work?


CommonSense -- I had the same problem, so I gave them a mailinator.com email and the link showed up right away. Downloading now.

I non-ironically like early solo MJ and love me some Fela, so this should turn out to be a treat (I hope).
posted by bionic.junkie at 5:40 PM on October 15, 2010

I'd rather listen to Zombie on its own, not mixed with Thriller.
posted by mike3k at 9:24 PM on October 15, 2010

dargh, the site is just giving out a mysql error page now =(
posted by nomisxid at 6:29 AM on October 16, 2010

but some videos are still on vimeo =)
posted by nomisxid at 7:29 AM on October 16, 2010

Eh. Great in concept, absolutely godawful in execution. Matching the beat is just half the battle; it's equally necessary to match the key, and Mr. Medina appears to have skipped that step.
posted by Sys Rq at 4:56 PM on October 16, 2010