Fela Kuti
Fela is a man with contradictions. That's why he's so intriguing. People who love him can overlook his shortcomings.
His songs typically last 20 minutes or more, and are sung in a dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns and classical music, jazz, Yoruba music, chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be used to transform the world. He made use of his music to push for political and social change and his influence can be present in the world in the present. His musical style, Afrobeat, is a blend of African and Western influences. Its origins lie in West-African high-life music and funk however, it has developed into its own genre.

His political activism was fierce and fearless. He used his music to speak out against corruption in government and human rights abuses. Songs such as "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were shrewd criticisms of Nigeria's government. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded individuals.
The play features a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent activist and feminist pioneer. Shantel Cribbs portrays her, and she does a fantastic job of expressing her significance in Fela's life. The play also explores on her political involvement. Despite her deteriorating health she was unable to get checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional treatments.
He was a singer
Fela Ransome-Kuti was a complex man who employed his music to effect political change. He is known for creating afrobeat - a fusion of funk and dirty African rhythms. He was also a fervent critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders.
His mother was a suffragist who was anti-colonial So it's not surprising that he has a passion for social commentary and politics. His parents wanted him to become an ophthalmologist, but he had different plans.
A trip to America changed his outlook forever. Exposure to Black political movements and leaders such as Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound impact on his music. He adopted the Pan-Africanism philosophy, that would influence and guide his later work.
He was a songwriter
Fela encountered Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X during his time in the United States. The experience inspired him to create an activist movement known as the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that reflected his ideas on black and political consciousness. His philosophy was expressed publicly by yabis - a type of public speaking he called 'freedom expression'. He also began to impose an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to accept medication from Western-trained medical professionals.
After returning to Nigeria Fela started building his own club and the Shrine in Ikeja. Raids from police and military officials were almost constant. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers repopulated the area around the club with hard drug, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela was a steadfast person in spite of this. His music is a testament to the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that the popular will be reflected in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will endure for generations to be.
He was a poet
In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also ridiculed his audience as well as the government and himself. In these shows, he referred to himself as "the big dick in the pond with a little." These jokes were not accepted lightly by the authorities and he was frequently arrested, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of the authorities. He eventually adopted the name Anikulapo which translates to "he carries death in his pocket."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to mindless zombies who obeyed orders without hesitation. The military was irritated by this and conducted a raid on Kalakuta Republic. They burned it down and beat its residents. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown out of her second-floor through a window.
Fela developed Afrobeat in the decades that followed the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that blends jazz with the indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their country's customs. fela attorneys stressed the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a rapper
A trumpeter, saxophonist and composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He grew up with jazz, rock and roll and traditional African music and chants which helped shape his style of music. After his trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas affected his work profoundly.
Upon his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He was critical of the government in his home country and insisted that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights violations and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana, known as "igbo" in Africa. He often held public debates at Afrika Shrine, called "yabis" which was where he would lampoon government officials and spread his views on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had a harem of young women who performed at his shows and also served as vocal backups to his vocalists.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion, combining elements from jazz, beat music and highlife to create his own distinctive style. He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta, and witnessing his mother be killed, Fela refused to leave the country. He died in 1997 of AIDS-related complications.
Fela was a prominent political activist who opposed the oppressive Nigerian Government and supported the principles Pan Africanism. His albums such as 1973's Gentleman, focused on fighting oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also pushed for black-power and decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports for dividing the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track of an album from 1978. It is about overcrowded public transports filled with people who are poor, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. Fela's dancers were also an excellent complement to his music. They were vivacious, sensual, and regal. Their contributions to the performances were as important as the words of Fela.
He was a political activist
Fela Kuti was a militant who used music to challenge unjust authority. He steered his knowledge of American funk and jazz toward African modes and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for battle. Most of his songs begin with slow-burning instrumentals, then adding short-lined melodies and riffs until they explode with a ferocious vigor.
Contrary to the majority of artists, who were afraid to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and uncompromising. He stood up for his beliefs even when it was dangerous to do so. His mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti, was an avowed feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister and president of the teachers' union.
He also created Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an expression of resistance. The government raided the commune, destroying the property and injuring Fela severely. He refused to relent however, and continued to speak out against the government. He died in 1997 from complications caused by AIDS. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to continue his musical and political legacy.
He was a father
Music is often viewed as a political act, and musicians use lyrics to solicit change. Some of the most powerful musical performances are not performed with words. Fela Kuti is among these artists, and his music still resonates today. He was the founder of Afrobeat music, which blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hip-hop and was influenced by artists such as James Brown.
Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Fela's activist mother. She was a unionist and opposed colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied marxism and believed in a Nigeria which served its entire population.
Fela's son Seun continues his father's work, with the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The Egypt 80's music combines the sounds of Fela with a scathing denunciation of power structures that still exist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid their tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so large that police were forced to shut down the entrance to the venue.