Erykah Badu paid tribute to Fela Kuti with a striking medley Wednesday night (Dec. 20) on “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Joined by the Legendary Roots Crew, Fat Belly Bella opened her set with the classic “On & On,” off her 1997 album Baduizm. Then the stage filling with smoke, and the moving set took on a theatrical element with “Sorrow Tears and Blood” from Fela Kuti’s 1977 album of the same name.
The performance was meant to promote Kuti’s Fela Box Set #4: Curated by Erykah Badu, the latest installment of vinyl reissues from the Fela Kuti catalog. Past box sets have been curated by Brian Eno and Questlove.
Watch Badu’s medley performance below.
