BY: DIGITAL WAX MEDIA STAFF
Legendary master of funk, Bootsy Collins has proven his immense stature in the world of music with the release of his 23rd studio album, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer, which hit shelves this month.
The album, released on Bootzilla Records/ Roc Nation, hit shelves just in time for Record Store Day 2025, and features an exciting cast of features comprising both veteran artists and newcomers. Among the faces to make an appearance as part of Album of the Year #1 Funkateer are Ice Cube, Dave Stewart, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, as well as October London, Baby Triggy, Fantaazma, Harry Mack, and others.
Getting directly involved with from a production standpoint for the project, Collins curated a very specific energy in the room for the making of the seminal new record.
”When I start on a project now, it’s about getting the energy from people around me. Because the way I came up, with a band, I don’t ever want to lose that. It’s important to me to see who the universe brings for me, and I’ve been really blessed that every time I want to do a record, I get these incredible musicians around me, right on time,” the funk icon says of his musical process.
”That’s what this album is about – hooking you up with different musicians and artists, and mainly a lot of young people.”
Collins notes the importance of bringing in new blood for the creation of what would ultimately become a kaleidoscopic immersion of funk, r&b, pop, and an assortment of other stylistic hallmarks which informed Album of the Year #1 Funkateer.
”With the young artists that are really on fire, I get lit up, and it reminds me that you don’t have to just stand around and not be feeling it, you can be absorbing all this fresh, new energy,” Collins exclaims. “I get off on that. I guess you can say that I moved from being a player and now I’m a coach. I want to be looked at as a help, a mentor, somebody they can look up to and trust. That’s my goal.”
Album of the Year #1 Funkateer is now streaming everywhere and is currently available for purchase. The full tracklist can be seen below.
01. Album of the Year #1 Funkateer feat. Myra Washington and Bootdullivan
02. The JB’s Tribute Pastor P feat. Harry Mack, Clyde Stubblefield, John “J’abo” Starks, Fred Wesley, and Daru Jones
03. Bootdullivan is Soopafly feat. Ouiwey Collins, Kokane, Daz Dillinger, and Soopafly
04. The InFluencers feat. Dave Stewart, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, WestCoast Stone, and Fantaazma
05. Bubble Pop feat. Ice Cube, Fantaazma, and Brother Nature
06. Fishnets feat. Myra Washington, Kurupt, Matthew Whitaker, and Daz Dillinger
07. Satellite feat. Dave Stewart and Brother Nature
08. Ubiquitous feat. Casper the Funked up Ghost and Kid Talk
09. Hundo P feat. Fantaazma and Snoop Dogg
10. Chicken & Fries feat. Soopafly, Myra Washington, Baby Triggy and Fantaazma
11. Pure Perfection feat. Fantaazma, Gilbert Driver and Bedroom Bootsy
12. Anybody Out There feat. Myra Washington and Brother Nature
13. BeWild feat. Isis Valentino, Alexandria Rosemond, and Brother Nature
14. Alien Flytrap feat. Dave Stewart and Bootdullivan
15. Reach the Zone feat. October London, Musiq Soulchild, and Bedroom Bootsy
16. 2Nite we Rise feat. DREION, Fantaazma, ZGM Precious Praisers, and Casper the Funked up Ghost
17. I.AM.AI feat. Tobotius, I.AM, and Kid Talk
18. Barbie T & Me (Tribute To Buckethead) feat. Barbie T, Zillatron
Photo: Bootsy Collins by Joseph Ross
Digital Wax 