Fela Kuti – Expensive Shit

"Expensive Shit" is a song by Fela Kuti, released in 1975 as the title track of his twelfth album with his band Africa '70, on the Soundsworkshop label in Nigeria. Written, arranged, and produced by Kuti, the track was inspired by a 1974 incident in which police planted marijuana on him, then held him in custody waiting for it to pass through his system so they could test it as evidence, only for the lab result to come back negative. Built around a slow building groove led by drummer Tony Allen before Kuti's saxophone and vocals entered several minutes in, the song became one of the clearest examples of his fusion of funk, jazz, and political commentary. It remains one of Fela Kuti's most widely cited recordings and was later included on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.