Fela Kuti
Fela's life is full of contradictions, and that's part of what makes him captivating. People who love him are able to forgive his bad sides.
His songs often run for up to 20 minutes, and are performed in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns, classical music, jazz, Yoruba singing, and horn-andguitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be used to influence the world. He used his music to advocate for political and social change and his influence is evident in the world of in the present. Afrobeat is a style of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African music as well as funk. However it has evolved into a new genre.
His political activism was ferocious and unflinching. He used his music as a protest against corruption by the government and human right abuses. Songs like "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were blatant critiques of Nigeria's regime. He also used Kalakuta as a place to meet like-minded people and to encourage political activism.
The play includes a large portrait of his late mother Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a prominent feminist and activist. She is played by actress Shantel Cribbs who has successfully depicted her importance in the life of Fela. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her deteriorating health, she refused to get checked for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatment.
He was a musician
Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who utilized music to bring about changes in the political landscape. He is famous for his work on Afrobeat, a mix of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was a fierce critic of Nigeria's religious and governmental leaders.
Fela's mother was an anti-colonial suffragist, so it is not surprising that he is a fan for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become a physician but he had different plans.
A trip to America changed his perspective forever. Exposure to Black political movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound influence on his music. He adopted a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, which would guide 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 experiences inspired him to establish an organization called the Movement of the People, and to write songs that reflected his ideas on political activism and black consciousness. His ideas were expressed in public via the medium of yabis, which is a form of public speaking he dubbed 'freedom of expression'. He also began to enforce strict moral codes for his band, such as refusing to receive medications from doctors trained in the West.
Fela returned to Nigeria and began to build his own club in Ikeja. The police and military officials were every day. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Despite this Fela kept his integrity unshaken. His music is a testament of his determination to challenge authority and demanding that popular ambitions are manifested in official goals. It is an enduring legacy that will endure for generations.
He was a poet
In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his fans as well as the government and himself. During these shows, he would refer to himself as "the big dick in the little pond." These jokes were not viewed lightly by the authorities and he suffered repeated arrests and beatings in the hands of authorities. He eventually renamed himself Anikulapo, which means "he is carrying death in his pouch."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to mindless zombies who were able to follow orders without hesitation. This irritated the military, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown out of her second-floor window.
In the years following Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticised European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African religions and culture. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their country's customs. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a rapper
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He grew up listening to jazz, rock and roll and traditional African music and chants, which helped shape his unique 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 impacted his work dramatically.
Fela's music became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government in his home country and insisted that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. fela attorneys wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military.
Fela was also a proponent of marijuana in Africa, which is known as "igbo". He also held "yabis" (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule officials of the government and express his views regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had Harems, which was a group of women who performed at his shows and backing his vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion, combining elements from jazz, beat music and highlife to create his own unique style. He was a renowned African musician and a vocal critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused to leave, despite being detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as well having witnessed the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications.
Fela was an activist for the political cause who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian government and embraced 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 criticized Christianity and Islam as non-African influenced religions that were used to divide 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 opponent of religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was also complemented by his dancers, who were lively, sensual, and regal. Their contributions were as significant as Fela’s words.
He was a militant in the political arena.
Fela Kuti utilized music as a tool to challenge unjust authorities. He adapted his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms, creating music that was ready for a fight. Most of his songs begin 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 hesitant to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood in his convictions even when it was risky to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister and the president of the teachers' union.
He also founded Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an expression of resistance. The government raided the commune, destroying the property and injured Fela badly. He refused to give up, however and continued to speak out against the government. He passed away in 1997 of complications arising from AIDS. His son Femi continues to carry on his legacy of music and politics.
He was a father
Music is often thought of as a political act with artists using lyrics to call for change. However, some of the most effective music-related protests do not use words in any way. Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music is still ringing out to this day. He was the founder of Afrobeat music, which blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hip-hop, inspired by artists like 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 that was serving its the entire population.
Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's work, with the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music is a blend of the sounds and politics of Fela's era with a fervent denial of the same power structures that continue to exist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so big that the police had to block the entrance.