Vinyl Me, Please Releases Fela Kuti Box Set on His 88th Birthday
News related to:Vinyl Me, Please · 2 min read
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 15, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Vinyl Me, Please, the record club known for its exclusive vinyl editions, has released a highly anticipated box set celebrating the music of Fela Kuti, the pioneering Nigerian musician and political activist. The 4×LP set, titled "The Best of the Black President," honors Kuti on what would have been his 88th birthday, October 15.
Kuti, who created the genre-defying Afrobeat in the late 1960s and 1970s, fused highlife, jazz, funk, and Yoruba rhythms into long, hypnotic songs that criticized the corruption and brutality of Nigeria's military rulers. His music and activism earned him the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award, making him the first African artist to receive such an honor.
The box set, which was first announced in 2024 but never shipped, has now been completed and released by VMP. The limited edition, hand-numbered run of 1,000 copies features lacquers cut by Cicely Balston, a two-time MPG Mastering Engineer of the Year. The set includes full-color jackets and is pressed on 180g black vinyl, with a "Fela for President" bumper sticker included.
The release coincides with Felabration, the annual festival held in Lagos to celebrate Kuti's life and music.
The box set is available for purchase as part of a three-month VMP membership, priced at $149. For those interested, they can join by texting 'VMP' to (314) 300-9979 and entering the album code 101538. The VMP website provides additional details and options for purchase.
Founded in 2012, Vinyl Me, Please has been producing exclusive vinyl editions in partnership with artists and labels. The company's mission is to create records that exist nowhere else, pressed with audiophile-grade care, thoughtfully packaged, and delivered to music enthusiasts who appreciate the physical medium. Through limited pressings, curated releases, and a renewed focus on essential albums across genres, VMP connects music fans with records that deserve to be held, heard, and cherished.
The release of "The Best of the Black President" is a testament to VMP's commitment to preserving and celebrating the legacy of influential artists like Fela Kuti.