Fela Kuti
Fela is a man with contradictions. This is what makes him so fascinating. People who love him accept the flaws in him.
His songs typically last 20 minutes or more, and are performed in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music, jazz, Yoruba music, chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be an instrument for change. His music was used to advocate for political, social and economic changes. His influence can be present to this day. His musical style, Afrobeat, is a blend of African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African high-life music and funk however, it has evolved into its own style.
His political activism was fierce and he did it without fear. He used his music as a protest against corruption in the government and human rights violations. Songs like "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were shrewd criticisms of Nigeria's government. He also referred to Kalakuta as a venue to gather like-minded people and to promote political activism.
The production features a huge portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs who has successfully depicted her importance in the life of Fela. The play also highlights on her political involvement. Despite her declining health she refused to be checked for AIDS and instead chose traditional medicine.
He was a musician
Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who used music to effect changes in the political landscape. He is known for creating Afrobeat, which is a blend of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was also a relentless critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders.
Being raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mom It's no surprise that Fela was interested in political and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be a physician however, he had other plans.
While he started in a more apolitical, highlife fashion, a trip in America changed his outlook forever. His music was profoundly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and leaders like Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism ideology, which would influence and inform his later work.
He was a songwriter
While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. The experience inspired him to start a political movement called the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that reflected his views on black and political consciousness. His philosophy was expressed publicly through yabis - a form that he described as "freedom expression". He also began imposing an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to accept prescriptions from Western-trained physicians.
After his return to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. The raids by military and police officials were almost daily. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers were able to repopulate the area surrounding the club with hard drug particularly "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). But despite this, Fela kept his integrity unshaken. His music is a testimony to the determination with which he challenged authority and demanded that the popular will be reflected in official objectives. It is an influence that will last for generations.
He was a poet
In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his audience, 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 eventually took the name Anikulapo, which means "he has death in his pouch."
In 1977, Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he compared soldiers to brainless zombies that followed orders without question. This offended the military and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. During the raid, her mother was thrown from her second-floor window.
Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that after the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz and the indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and defended African traditional traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their nation's traditions. He also stressed the importance of freedom and human rights.
He was a rapper
A saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. fela lawyers 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.
After his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He criticized the government of his native country and argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture. He also wrote about social inequities and human rights violations and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana, also known as "igbo" in Africa. He held "yabis" (public discussions) at Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule government officials and share his opinions regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had an entourage of young women who performed in his shows and served as vocal backups to his vocalists.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master at musical fusion. He incorporated elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife into his own unique style. He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Fela refused to be interrogated and detained by the Nigerian military junta, as well being a witness to the murder of his mother. He died from complications due to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was a prominent political activist who criticized the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman, focused on fighting oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also promoted 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 the album released in 1978. It describes crowded public buses full of people who are poor, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce anti-religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was enhanced by his dancers who were lively, sensual, and regal. Their contributions were as important as Fela's words.
He was a militant in the political arena.
Fela Kuti was a militant who used music to challenge unjust authority. He took his knowledge of American funk and jazz toward African patterns and rhythms, resulting in an edgy sound that was prepared for battle. The majority of his songs begin as slow instrumentals, gradually adding small riffs and melodies until they explode in a flash of vigor.
Fela, unlike many artists who were afraid to discuss their political beliefs He was adamant and unbending. He stood up for what he believed in even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome 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 emblem of resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic which destroyed property and injured Fela. He refused to give up and continued to speak out against the government. He died of complications from AIDS in 1997. 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 form of political protest, with artists using lyrics to demand change. But some of the most powerful musical protests don't use words in any way. Fela Kuti was one of them, and his music still rings out to this day. He pioneered Afrobeat, combining traditional African rhythms and harmonies with funk and jazz inspired by artists like James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti, was an activist and unionist who was a fighter against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied marxism and believed in the idea of a Nigeria that 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 sounds and politics of Fela's era with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that persist in the present. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. Thousands of fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so large, that the police had to block the entrance.