“Na Dem Dey Enjoy Pass” comes straight out of everyday Nigerian conversation, Pidgin for “They are the ones enjoying the most.” Said out loud, it asks who gets to enjoy the good life and who is left out of it. “Dem” means “them”, and Lagos Thugs left it undefined on their new single, so every listener decides who they are. Blaring live horns and driving percussion carry the song, with vocals pitched for singing along and a groove for dancing.

Singer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Adetunji Adeyemi formed the group in Lagos in 2020 and leads its twelve musicians today. He started it to carry on what Fela Kuti began with Africa 70 and Egypt 80. Fela pioneered afrobeat in the early 1970s, and its politics brought him into violent conflict with Nigeria’s military governments. The grooves follow classic afrobeat, with a heavy bass line and patterns that loop over and over. The percussion draws on Cuban and West African drumming, and jazz and dub find their way in.

Their first gig was at Bature Brewery in Lagos in January 2021. Rhythm Passport’s own Lucas Keen caught up with them the following month for the Rendez-Vous à Bobo podcast, when the band numbered fifteen and the conversation covered protest and what’s in a name. The debut that followed, Chaos, is four long compositions that run past 35 minutes, and DJ Ness Afro co-produced it with the band for an analogue, warm 1970s sound. Mixto Records, the Los Angeles label behind the new single, has now released it as a vinyl LP.

The single and the vinyl arrive as the band takes the full twelve-piece live show beyond Nigeria. The European tour runs from 2 October in Bremerhaven to 25 October in Beskidy, Poland, taking in Germany, Italy, Austria, France and Denmark on the way. Stops include Le Rocher de Palmer in Cenon, near Bordeaux, on 13 October and two nights at ALICE in Copenhagen on 18 and 19 October.

Listen to “Na Dem Dey Enjoy Pass” HERE and get your copy of Chaos following THIS LINK