37th State

37th State is a new project initiated by Stephane Malca, a composer/producer with roots in funk and hip hop. This musical venture emphasizes on the Nigerian music heritage, from old school afrobeat to nu soul and hip hop. Some of the most prominent artists of Fela Kuti’s legacy such as Dele Sosimi or Tony Allen are featuring on this album, along with Keziah Jones, Tony Kofi or Ty, and many more talents from the british new urban scene.

The Nigerian community has a strong presence in London. Some have claimed London as the 37th state of Nigeria, with the city now home to over 100,000 Nigerians, and over 1,000,000 living in the UK. The idea of a 37th State represents one of the ways in which the Nigerian diaspora has maintained its culture here. Afrobeat, the music which grew out of the sixties free jazz movement in Western Nigeria, is now as much a part of London as it is Lagos.

Stephane Malca met afrobeat musician Dele Sosimi in London and they have worked closely to use Dele’s afrobeat roots and Stephane’s background to make an afro-funk hip hop album. London offered a one-off opportunity to feature Afrobeat pioneers such as Tony Allen, Tony Kofi, Keziah Jones and Ikwunga, alongside the new generation of urban artists they have influenced such as Ty, Lyric L, B.R.E.I.S., Infinite Livez, J!ffy, Ellie Holland and Lisa Lore. The result is the 37th State project, an afro-centric take on new urban music.

Stephane Malca was the founding member of the Malka Family, and he has worked as a producer & composer until coming to London to start his own label Most Records.

Dele Sosimi has spent years working with Fela Kuti and then Femi Kuti as the keyboard player and Musical Director.