Fela Kuti
The life of Fela is full of contradictions, and that's a large part of what makes him so captivating. People who love him are able to overlook his shortcomings.
His songs are usually 20 minutes or more and are performed in a dense Pidgin English that is almost unintelligible. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music, jazz, Yoruba singing, and horn-andguitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be used to transform the world. He utilized his music to call for political and social change, and his influence can be felt in the world in the present. Afrobeat is a form of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African high-life and funk however, it has developed into its own genre.
His political activism was intense and he took action without fear. He made use of his music to protest against corruption by the government and human rights violations. Songs like "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were bold critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also used his residence, Kalakuta Republic, as an area 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 explores her political activism. Despite her declining health she refused to undergo tests for AIDS. Instead, she chose traditional treatments.
He was a singer
The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex musician who used his music to facilitate political change. He is known as the creator of afrobeat. It was an invigorating hybrid of dirty funk and traditional African rhythms. He was also a relentless critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders.
His mother was an anti-colonial suffragist So it's not surprising that he is a fan for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents believed that he would eventually become a doctor however, he had other plans.
While he initially sounded in a more political highlife fashion, a trip in America would change his outlook forever. His music was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and leaders like Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He embraced a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, which would inform and guide his later work.
He was a writer
While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. This led him to form a political group called the Movement of the People and compose songs that expressed the ideas that he held about political activism and black awareness. His philosophies were publicly expressed by yabis - a type of public speaking that he called "freedom expression". He also began imposing an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to accept medication from Western-trained doctors.
After his return to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. Raids from police and military officials were constant. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area around the club with hard drugs, particularly 'bana' and 'yamuna' (heroin). However, Fela kept his integrity unshaken. His music is a testimony to his determination in challenging authority and demanding that the popular goals are manifested in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
He was a poet
Fela's music utilized sarcasm as well as humor to bring attention to the political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his audience, the government, and himself. During these shows, he referred to himself as "the big dick in the pond with a little." These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities and he suffered repeated arrests, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of the authorities. He eventually adopted the name Anikulapo, meaning "he is carrying death in his bag."
In fela settlements , Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he contrasted soldiers with brainless zombies that followed orders without question. The military was offended by the song and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. In the course of the raid, the mother of Fela was thrown from her second-floor window.
In the years following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, the genre of music that combines jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticised European culture imperialism and supported African traditional religions and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their country's customs. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was an artist of hip-hop.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist, was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He was inspired by jazz, rock and roll, as well as 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 impacted his work in a profound way.
When he returned 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 diluted by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights violations and was often detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela also openly advocated the use of marijuana, referred to as "igbo" in Africa. He often held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, called "yabis", in which he would slam officials of the government and share his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had an entourage of women in his youth, who performed in his shows and acted as vocal backups for his vocalists.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion. He incorporated elements from jazz, beat music, and highlife to create his own unique style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused, despite being interrogated and detained by the Nigerian military junta, as well being a witness to the murder of his mother. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was a well-known political activist who criticized the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles Pan Africanism. His albums including 1973's Gentleman focused on fighting oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also promoted black power and criticised 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 a 1978 album. It describes overcrowded public buses filled with poor workers, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. Fela's dancers were also an excellent complement to his music. They were vibrant, sensual and regal. Their contributions to the performances were as significant as the words of Fela.
He was a political activist
Fela Kuti used music as a way to confront unjust authorities. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African modes and rhythms, creating music that is ready for a fight. Most of his songs begin as slow-burning instrumentals. He layers little melodies, riffs, long-lined melodies and other elements until they explode with urgency.
Unlike many artists, who were afraid to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood in the cause 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 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 hurting Fela badly. He refused to give up, however and continued to speak out against the government. He passed away from complications of 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 thought of as a political act, and musicians use lyrics to demand change. However, some of the most effective music-related protests don't rely on words in any way. Fela Kuti was one of them, and his music still rings out to this day. He pioneered Afrobeat that combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with jazz and funk, being 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 the idea of a Nigeria that served its entire population.
Seun, Fela's Son, continues to carry the legacy of his father through a group dubbed Egypt 80. The band will be touring the globe this year. The band's music blends the sounds and politics of Fela's time with a passionate critique of the same power structures that are still in place in the present. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. A large number of fans paid their respects at the funeral at Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so big that police had to shut down the entrance to the location.