A track that blends Afrobeat, funk, and rebel music energy into a hypnotic groove is “Wha-Gwaan!” by Tomás Doncker featuring Frank Benbini. Delivering a searing call to action with a driving rhythm and a fiery vocal presence, “Wha-Gwaan!” doesn’t just ask what’s going on but it demands that people pay attention to what is going on. A song that is very apropos in today’s political and social climate.
While Tomás has been a fixture in New York’s music scene since the ‘80s, he has never been one to shy away from confronting social issues through his work. On “Wha-Gwaan!”, he channels the revolutionary spirit of Fela Kuti and Marvin Gaye by using his signature genre-blurring style to amplify a message of urgency.
Tomás states,
Fela Ransome Kuti once said, ‘Music is the weapon of the future’. The future is most definitely NOW!
The track pulses with a hypnotic groove by Fun Lovin’ Criminals and UB40’s Frank Benbini on drums and hype vocals only intensifies the fire. Frank’s presence fuels the rhythm section by pushing the song’s message forward with an undeniable force.
With “Wha-Gwaan!” Tomás proves once again why he remains one of music’s most fearless innovators. This is a song that moves both the body and the mind and demands action with every beat.