Lagos Thugs

Straight from the heart of Nigeria, high-energy Afrobeat band Lagos Thugs are on their debut UK tour, joined by special guest Indy Dibongue, the guitarist of Tony Allen (France/Cameroon).

Lagos Thugs are led by singer and award-winning saxophonist Adetunji Adeyemi. Their music follows the stunning musical architecture and language of Afrobeat developed by the Lagos Scene pioneers Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, whose music shaped a generation.

Emerging from the streets of West Africa in the ‘70s & ‘80s, the style of Afrobeat blends traditional Yoruba music, jazz, and fuji with American funk and soul, featuring strong brass, precise percussion and hard-hitting messages on social justice movements from Nigerian independence to Black Power.

Lagos Thugs have gone from strength to strength since forming in 2021, regularly supporting Seun Kuti, recording with Ezra Collective or on stage at the New Afrika Shrine. The band have quickly gained a dedicated following both locally and internationally as rising stars of Afrobeat.

“Top of the World on our Songlines March 2024 issue, the album is so great I am playing it on repeat for two days in a row to write this review” - Russell Higham (Songlines Magazine). “Probably the best contemporary Afrobeat album from a band based in Nigeria I have heard for the last 20 years” - Dom Servini (BBC6/Jazz FM) “Amazing authentic Afrobeat from Lagos that I’m honored to support” - Dele Sosimi