About

DEDE & Kalarfika Band

Dede & Kalafrika Band is a peculiar and versatile Nigerian band led by Dede Mabiaku, an accomplished singer/songwriter; saxophonist; composer and arranger, artist who has come a long way in honing his craft in the Afrobeat, Highlife and Jazz music genres. He performed with Fela and became his opening act and managed his final international tour. He learned at the feet of the master, and for years, was an integral part of Fela Anikulakpo-Kuti's daily life, as well as a member of the Egypt 80 Band in the 1980s. Today, he is unchallenged as the best Afrobeat performer closely at the heels of the master, Fela.

Ready for the world’s embrace …

Dede brings a new dispensation, and with that, a totally new concept of true African music in its rawest form. On stage, Dede & Kalafrika Band deliver an immersive spiritual experience complete with masterful instrumentation, thought-provoking narratives and colourful dance arrangements, leaving fans equally satisfied and conscious.

The Music

On stage, his fiery breath on the saxophone and the sweat of his lyrics. Dede is no mistaken legacy - living and recreated in the image of FELA. Afrobeat music embodies truth, it is radical, controversial, spiritual, sexy and revolutionary. Accompanying its big-band style and gyrating dancers is the core that offers little or no compromise. The message of Afrobeat does not get lost in the orchestra style rhythm it produces. The music is mostly about the Message. It is a genre that is all-Nigerian, a music legacy Nigeria does not share with any other country. Just as it was passed on to him, Dede's music is  a symbol of  a rich cultural heritage, being passed on to the next generation.

The Appeal 

Dede's music appeals to a wide array of audiences and his journey, theme and purpose will be carefully integrated. He captures the old and young of Fela’s loyal global followership. He’s educated and can speak to the elite, yet his message is grassroots and therefore captures the mass majority of Nigerians. He is well represented globally due to Afrobeat music’s global fansbase.