Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 Get Deep on New Single ‘DJB’
Acclaimed ensemble, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, released their new single ‘DJB’, today, 18 September 2026. The single is the third release off the forthcoming album, ‘Na Dem’. The project is set for international release on 6 November.
‘DJB’, which means ‘Devil Just Busy’, emerges as one of the most potent and deeply introspective compositions on the forthcoming record. Anchored by a dark, resonant Afrobeat groove of remarkable depth and intensity, the track confronts the encroaching shadows that threaten to engulf contemporary society. The single delivers a powerful meditation on the forces that seek to overwhelm the human spirit. The seven-minute-long single is not kowtowing to the current standards of microwaved TikTok sounds.
This mid-tempo Afro-Folk offering follows the earlier singles ‘Na Dem’ (featuring Tom Morello) and ‘Problems’ (featuring Kabaka Pyramid). The three singles have offered tantalising glimpses into the forthcoming album’s ambitious scope. ‘DJB’ is produced with distinctive vision by Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective. Engineered with precision by Samuel Egglenton, mixed by Dan Parry, and mastered by Stuart Hawkes at the renowned Metropolis Studio in London. The single benefits from Koleoso’s vibrant and exacting production, which infuses the music with contemporary vitality while remaining deeply rooted in the enduring traditions of Afrobeat.
With ‘DJB’, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 continue to broaden and refine their already formidable sonic landscape. The result is a work of striking coherence and emotional force, brought to life by a distinguished ensemble: Seun Anikulapo Kuti on vocals and saxophone, and Edidiong Blessing Eshiet on backing vocals. Noah Mayumbu and Anis Benhallak on guitar. Kaidi Akinibi and Fabrice Fila on saxophone (with Fila also contributing backing vocals). Jermaine Amissah and Nicolas Julien Sakelario on baritone saxophone (Sakelario adding further backing vocals. Chris Olusesi on keys, Kunle Justice and Gbeke Ojutiku on bass. Will Fry on percussion, Valentin Pellet and Ben Amissah on trumpet. Mario Orsinet on drums, and Femi Koleoso himself on drums.
‘DJB’ follows Seun Kuti’s critically acclaimed 2024 album, ‘Heavier Yet (Lay The Crownless Head)’, and his 2026 singles ‘Na Dem’ and ‘Problems’. The former included collaborations with Damian Marley, Sampa the Great, Pos of De La Soul, Adi Oasis, Kamasi Washington, and Alborosie. It also boasts production contributions from Lenny Kravitz. The album was supported by an exhaustive 13-month world tour of over 130 concerts across Australia, South America, the USA, and Europe.
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 are currently on a major world tour that launched on 7 May in Barcelona, Spain. This epic run includes stops in the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand. There are two landmark headline shows scheduled for the USA this Autumn: ‘My Life in Movement’ takes place on 9 October at The Regent Theatre in Los Angeles, while a second show takes place on 14 October at Webster Hall in New York.
‘DJB’ is now available on all major streaming platforms; listen here.
About Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti is one of the most important voices in contemporary Afrobeat. As the son of Fela Kuti and the current leader of Egypt 80, his father’s legendary band, he has spent his career both preserving and expanding the political and musical tradition he inherited. Born Oluseun Anikulapo-Kuti in Lagos, Nigeria, his sound is defined by raw energy, unflinching social commentary, and a deep commitment to music as a tool for resistance.
Over five studio albums, Seun Kuti has built a reputation as a force to be reckoned with. He has earned recognition from audiences and critics across Africa, Europe, the United States, and beyond. His catalogue spans records that challenge power, confront inequality, and speak directly to the lived realities of people across the African continent and the Diaspora.
In 2019, Seun, and his Egypt 80 band, earned a GRAMMY nomination in the ‘Best World Music Album’ category at the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards. This was in recognition of his album ‘Black Times’. His chart success includes the 2022 EP ‘African Dreams’, which climbed to the top 20 on the American Independent Radio Charts (NACC), the top 3 on the Hip Hop Chart, and the top 5 on the World Chart. The singer’s high-profile features such as on Janelle Monáe’s ‘The Age of Pleasure’ and tracks with Talib Kweli & Madlib have boosted his global streaming presence.
Kuti’s accomplishments extend far beyond charts: he has carried forward the Afrobeat tradition through critically acclaimed albums like ‘From Africa with Fury: Rise’ (co-produced by Brian Eno) and ‘Many Things’, and earned a spot on Time Magazine’s 2019 100 Most Influential People list for his music and activism. It also positioned Egypt 80 as one of Africa’s most enduring and successful bands.
A tireless live performer, he has toured relentlessly across continents for years, delivering marathon, high-energy shows in major cities from Lagos and London to New York and Tokyo, with a fresh 2026 tour announced across Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
