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Fela Kuti

Fela is a man of contradictions. That's what makes him so fascinating. People who love him forgive the parts of him that aren't perfect.

His songs are typically 20 minutes long or longer and are performed in a slurred Pidgin English that is almost unintelligible. His music is influenced primarily by Christian hymns and classical music. He also incorporates jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with horns and guitars.

He was a musician

Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be an instrument for change. His music was used to argue for political, social and economic changes. His influence can be present today. Afrobeat is a musical style that blends African and Western influences. Its origins lie in West-African hip-life music and funk, but it has since developed into its own genre.

His political activism was fierce and fearless. He used his music as a protest against government corruption and human rights violations. Songs like "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were provocative criticisms of the Nigerian regime. He also used his residence, Kalakuta Republic, as an area for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded individuals.

The production features a huge portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent activist and feminist pioneer. Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does a great job of conveying her importance in the life of Fela. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her declining health, she refused to get checked for AIDS and instead chose traditional medicine.





He was a singer

Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who utilized music to bring about political change. He is credited with being the creator of afrobeat, an invigorating blend of funk, dirty and traditional African rhythms. He was a fierce critic of Nigeria's religious and political leaders.

Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism and it's not surprising that he has a passion for social commentary and politics. His parents wanted him to become a physician however, he had other plans.

While he started in a more apolitical, highlife fashion, a trip in America would change his outlook forever. His music was greatly affected by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leadership such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism philosophy, which would influence and inform his later work.

He was a writer

Fela encountered Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X while in the United States. This experience led him to start an activist group known as the Movement of the People and create songs that expressed the ideas he had about activism and black awareness. His ideas were expressed in public through the medium of yabis, which is a form of public speaking that was referred to as "freedom of 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 began to build his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. The snares of officers and police were almost daily. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, including 'bana' and 'yamuna' (heroin). Fela was a steadfast person regardless of this. His music speaks to his determination to challenge authority and ensuring that the desires of the masses are manifested in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will be remembered for generations to be.

He was a poet

In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also ridiculed his audience, the government, and himself. In these shows, he referred to himself as "the big dick in the little pond." These jokes were not accepted lightly by the authorities and he was frequently arrested and beatings in the hands of authorities. He eventually took the name Anikulapo, meaning "he carries death in his pouch."

In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to zombies who were able to follow orders without hesitation. This irritated the military, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown out of her second-floor by the window.

Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that followed the country's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism, and he favored traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticised fellow Africans for ignoring their country's tradition. He also stressed the importance of freedom and human rights.

He was an artist of hip-hop.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a saxophonist and trumpeter, was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music. He was heavily influenced by jazz, rock and roll as well as traditional African music, chants and music. After a trip to the United States, Fela met Sandra Smith. She was an activist in the Black Power Movement. Her ideas have influenced his work.

Upon his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He criticized the government of his home country and insisted that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military.

Fela also openly advocated the use of marijuana, known as "igbo" in Africa. He also held "yabis" (public discussions) at Afrika Shrine, where he would mock government officials and share his opinions regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's body. Fela also had a group of young women who performed in his shows and acted as vocal backups to his vocalists.

He was a dancer

Fela was a master of musical fusion, taking elements from beat music and highlife to create his own distinct style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was an outspoken critic of colonial rule.

Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and witnessing his mother murdered, Fela refused to leave the country. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications.

Fela was a prominent political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial forces. He also emphasized black power and decried Christianity and Islam as non-African influenced religions that were used to divide the people of Africa. The title track from an album released in 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the over-crammed public busses filled with poor workers "shuffering and smiling." Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. His dancers were an excellent match for his music. They were vibrant, sensual and regal. Their contributions were just as important as Fela's words.

He was a political militant

Fela Kuti was an activist who used music to challenge oppressive authority. He took his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for a fight. The majority of his songs start with slow-burning instrumentals. He layers little riffs, long-lined melody lines and other elements until they explode with a sense of urgency.

In contrast to many artists who were hesitant to expose their political beliefs, Fela was fearless and uncompromising. He stood in the cause he believed in, even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a fervent feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was both a protestant minister and the teacher's union president.

He also founded Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an emblem of resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic which destroyed property and injured Fela. fela railroad accident lawyer refused to give up, however and continued to speak against the government. He died of complications from AIDS in 1997. His son Femi continues to carry on his legacy of music and politics.

He was a father

Music is often viewed by many as a political action. Musicians use lyrics to call for change. Some of the most powerful music demonstrations are not performed with words. Fela Kuti was one such artist, and his music continues to ring out to this day. He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, which blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with hip-hop and jazz that was influenced by artists such as James Brown.

Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Fela's activist mother. She was a unionist and fought 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 the entire population.

Fela's son Seun continues his father's legacy, through a band called Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music blends the music and politics of Fela's day with a passionate critique of the same power structures that are still in place today. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that the police had to shut down the entrance.