Fela Kuti
Fela's life is full of contradictions, and that's a large part of what makes him so captivating. People who love him accept the bad parts of him.
His songs typically last up to 20 minutes, and are sung in thick, almost incomprehensible Pidgin English. His music is inspired by Christian hymns and jazz, classical music, Yoruba music, chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a tool to influence the world. His music was used to call for political, social and economic reforms. His influence is still present to this day. Afrobeat is a form of music that combines African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African and funk. However, it has evolved into a completely new genre.
His political activism was fierce and fearless. He used his music to protest against corruption in the government and human rights abuses. Songs such as "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were bold critiques of Nigeria's regime. He also used Kalakuta as a venue to meet like-minded people and to promote political activism.
The play includes a large portrait of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a well-known feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. She is played by actress Shantel Cribbs, who successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her deteriorating health she refused to be tested for AIDS and instead opted for traditional treatment.
He was a musician
Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex individual who utilized music to bring about changes in the political landscape. He is known for creating Afrobeat, which is a blend of funk and dirty African rhythms. He was also a constant critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism, so it is not surprising that he has a passion for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be an ophthalmologist but he had different plans.
While he began in a more apolitical highlife style, a trip to America changed his outlook forever. Exposure to Black power movements and leaders such as Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver had a profound effect on his music. He adopted a Pan-Africanism ethos, which would inform and guide his later work.
He was a writer.
While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. This led him to form an activist group known as the Movement of the People and compose songs that expressed the ideas he had 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 to enforce a strict ethical code for his band, including refusing to receive medications from doctors trained in the West.
After returning to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club and the Shrine in Ikeja. The snares of police and military officials was nearly constant. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area around the club with hard drugs, especially the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). But despite this, Fela was a man of uncompromising integrity. His music is a testament to the determination with which he challenged authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official objectives. It is a legacy that will last for generations.
He was a poet
Fela's music employed sarcasm and humor to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also snarkily mocked his audience, government, and even himself. During these shows, he referred to himself as "the big dick in the little pond." These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities and he suffered repeated arrests and imprisonments, as well as beatings at the hands of authorities. He eventually renamed himself Anikulapo, meaning "he is carrying death in his pocket."
In 1977, Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he compared soldiers with brainless zombies that followed orders without asking questions. The military was offended by the song and raided Kalakuta Republic. They burned the place down and beat its residents. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown out of her second-floor window.
In the decades following Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, the genre of music that blended jazz and traditional African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism, and he favored traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their country's customs. He stressed the importance of freedom and human rights.
He was a rapper
A trumpeter, saxophonist, composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was heavily influenced by jazz, rock, and roll and also traditional African music, chants and music. After a visit to the United States, Fela met Sandra Smith. She was an activist in the Black Power Movement. Her ideas have influenced his work.
The music of Fela became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his home country and argued against Western sensibilities that impacted African culture. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations and was often detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela was also a fervent advocate of marijuana in Africa, which is known as "igbo". He also held "yabis" (public discussions) at Afrika Shrine, where he would mock government officials and express his views regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had a harem, an ensemble of young women who performed at his shows, and also backed him vocally.
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 African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule.
Despite being arrested and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and seeing his mother be killed, Fela refused to leave the country. He died of complications due to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was a well-known political activist who opposed the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the ideals of Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman focused on the issue of oppression by both government bodies and colonial parties. He also advocated black power and decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from an album from 1978. It describes crowded public buses full of working poor people, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. The dancers of Fela were an excellent complement to his music. They were vibrant, sensual and regal. Their contributions were just as important as Fela's words.
fela law firm was a political activist
Fela Kuti was an activist who utilized music to challenge the unjust authority. He made use of his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African styles and rhythms, creating an edgy sound that was prepared for battle. Most of his songs begin with slow-burning instrumentals, then layering short-lined melodies and riffs until they explode with a ferocious vigor.
Fela like many artists who were scared to speak about their politics was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood in the cause he believed in, even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti was a prominent feminist who led the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister and president of the teachers' union.
He also established Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was a symbol of resistance. The government raided the commune, degrading the property and injuring Fela severely. He refused to relent however, and continued to protest against the government. He passed away from complications of AIDS in 1997. His son Femi continues to carry his musical and political legacy.
He was a father
Music is often seen by many as a political action. Artists use lyrics to demand change. However, some of the most powerful music-related protests don't rely on words in any way. Fela Kuti is one these artists and his music is heard today. He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat, combining traditional African harmonies and rhythms with funk and jazz, inspired by artists like James Brown.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela's maternal grandmother, was an activist and unionist who stood up against 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.
Seun Fela's Son is carrying the legacy of his father with the band Egypt 80. The band will be touring the globe this year. The band's music combines the music and politics of Fela's day with a passionate critique of the same power structures that persist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. A large number of fans gathered to pay their respects at the funeral in Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so large, that the police had to block the entrance.