PUNK SEXTET LETTUCE SHARE COVER OF KENI BURKE’S “RISING TO THE TOP” & TOUR

Legendary funk sextet Lettuce is releasing a cover of Keni Burke’s “Rising to the Top,” along with an accompanying music video, out today on all platforms. The single comes in anticipation of Lettuce’s forthcoming LP, Cook, due December 3 via the band’s own Lettuce Records. Burke, the one-time Five Stairsteps member, released “Rising to the Top” in 1982, and Lettuce gives the R&B hit new life in their take on the track. The accompanying music video, shot and edited by keyboardist & vocalist Nigel Hall, takes viewers through a Lettuce studio session through intimate shots and retro filters. Lettuce’s take on “Rising to the Top” is a love letter to the 80s R&B influences that shaped the band’s sound.

Drummer Adam Deitch called “Rising to the Top” an “R&B soul classic – tune paid serious tribute by the incredible Nigel Hall on vocals and keys.” Hall added, “This was a song I heard as a kid. Through Hip-Hop, I learned the original, and per usual, was stuck on it like many tunes I checked out through Hip-Hop in my formative years. I always wanted to play it and am grateful to have turned that wish into reality.”

Lettuce’s rendition of Burke’s classic hit is a carefree, late-summer soundtrack imparting a message of positivity and self-assurance. “Believe in yourself profusely. Never listen to the doubts of others about your potential,” adds bassist, Erick “Jesus” Coomes.

WATCH “RISING TO THE TOP” VIDEO + STREAM ON DSPs + PRE-ORDER COOK

Cook isn’t just a nod to Lettuce’s musical heat; it’s an invitation to join the band at the table, where funk, soul, jazz, rock, and hip-hop come together in one rich, flavorful dish. The album offers a menu of delights that marks a group exploring new sonic territory. On Cook, Lettuce has expanded its ever-widening musical palette again, following tours with both rap icon GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan and reggae legend Ziggy Marley. Earlier in the year, the band released the live album and concert film Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony. Still, there’s a generous dose of Lettuce’s patented funk, paying tribute to the great James Brown and his JB’s and honoring mentors like Tower of Power and Maceo Parker. For these six lifelong partners, the new songs feel like a nourishing meal that entices all of your senses.