Fela Kuti
Fela is a man of contradictions. This is what makes him so intriguing. People who love him are able to accept his flaws.
His songs can last up to 20 minutes, and are sung in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also includes jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with guitars and horns.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a powerful tool to transform the world. He utilized his music to call for political and social change and his influence is still felt in the world today. Afrobeat is a style of music that combines African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African high-life music and funk, but it has since evolved into a distinct style.
His political activism was fierce, and he acted without fear. He used his music to speak out against corruption in government and human rights violations. Songs such as "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were daring criticisms of the Nigerian regime. He also used his residence, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism as well as a gathering place for people who were like-minded.
The play includes a large portrait featuring his late mother Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a well-known feminist and activist. The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs, who has successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite her deteriorating condition, she refused to be tested for AIDS. Instead she took traditional medicine.
He was a singer
Fela Ransome-Kuti was a complex man who used his music to facilitate political change. He is renowned for his creation of Afrobeat, which is a blend of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was a vocal critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism So it's not surprising that he has a passion for political commentary and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become medical doctor however, he had other plans.
While he started in a more apolitical highlife vein, a trip to America changed his outlook forever. The music he composed was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism philosophy that would influence and inform his later work.
He was a writer
Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X while in the United States. The experiences inspired him to establish an organization called the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that expressed his thoughts about black activism and political consciousness. His ideas were expressed in public via the medium of yabis, an art of public speaking he dubbed "freedom of expression". He also began to enforce an uncompromising code of ethics for his group, which included refusing to receive medicine from Western-trained doctors.
Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja. The frequent raids by officers and police were nearly constant. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, especially 'bana' and 'yamuna' (heroin). Fela kept his integrity regardless of this. His music speaks to his determination in challenging authority and demanding that the popular goals are recognized in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
He was a poet
Fela's music used sarcasm and humor to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his fans as well as the government and himself. In these shows, he referred to himself as "the big fish in the small pond." These jokes were not viewed lightly by the authorities and he was frequently arrested, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of authorities. He was eventually given the title Anikulapo, which means "he has his death in his bag."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to mindless zombies that were able to follow orders without hesitation. The military was offended by the song, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, her mother was thrown from her second-floor window.
In the years following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, the genre of music that blended jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their country's customs. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a hip-hop artist
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He was heavily influenced by jazz, rock and roll and also traditional African music, chants and music. After a trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas affected his work dramatically.
Fela's music became a political instrument after his return to Nigeria. He was critical of the government in his country of birth and argued that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights abuses, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military.
Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, referred to as "igbo" in Africa. fela railroad settlements held "yabis" (public discussions) at Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule officials of the government and share his opinions on the freedom of expression as well as the beauty of women's body. Fela also had a group of young women who danced at his shows and acted as vocal backups for his vocalists.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion, combining elements from beat music and highlife to create his own unique style. He was a renowned African musician and vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Despite being arrested and tortured by the Nigerian military junta, and witnessing his mother be killed, Fela refused to leave the country. He died of complications due to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was a political activist who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the issue of oppression by both government bodies and colonial parties. He also promoted black power and decried Christianity and Islam as non-African influenced religions that were used to divide the people of Africa. The title track on the album from 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses full of poor people "shuffering and smiling." Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. Fela's music was in turn complemented by his dancers, who were lively elegant, sensual, and beautiful. Their contributions were as significant as Fela's words.
He was a political activist
Fela Kuti used music as a way to challenge unjust authorities. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African patterns and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for a fight. The majority of his songs start with slow-burning instrumentals. He layers riffs, long-lined melody lines and other elements until they explode in a blaze of energy.
Unlike many artists, who were afraid to publicly discuss their political views, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood for his beliefs even when it was dangerous to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister as well as the president of the teachers union.
He also established Kalakuta Republic - a recording studio and commune that became an emblem of the resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic and destroyed property, as well as injured Fela. He refused to relent, though, and continued to voice his opinion against the government. He passed away in 1997 of complications arising from AIDS. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to carry on his music and political legacy.
He was a father
Music is often seen as a form of political protest, with musicians using lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful musical performances are not accompanied by words. Fela Kuti is one of these artists, and his music still is heard today. He pioneered Afrobeat that combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies, with funk and jazz, inspired by artists like James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti was a militant and unionist who stood up against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also was a Marxist and believed that Nigeria should serve its all citizens.
Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's legacy through the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The music of Egypt 80 combines the sounds of Fela with a scathing denunciation of power structures that still exist in the present. Black Times will be released at the end of March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid their tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so large that police had to shut down the entrance to the location.