Fela Kuti
Fela's life is full of contradictions, and that's part of what makes him so captivating. People who love him forgive the flaws in him.
His songs typically last longer than 20 minutes and are performed in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is influenced primarily by Christian hymns and classical music. He also blends jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with horns and guitars.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a powerful tool to influence the world. His music was used to advocate for social, political and economic reforms. His influence can be felt even today. Afrobeat is a form of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African and funk. However it has evolved into a new genre.
His political activism was ferocious and he took action without fear. He made use of 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 blatant criticisms of Nigeria's government. 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 of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent feminist activist and feminist pioneer. She is portrayed by actress Shantel Cribbs, who successfully communicated her importance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite railroad injury fela lawyer declining health she refused to be checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional treatment.
He was a musician
Fela Ransome-Kuti was a complex musician who used his music to effect political change. He is known as the creator of afrobeat, an invigorating blend of funk, dirty and traditional African rhythms. He was a fervent critic of Nigeria's religious and political leaders.
Growing up with an anti-colonial feminist mother It's no surprise that Fela was interested in politics and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be a physician however, he had other plans.
A trip to America changed his perspective forever. His music was profoundly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, which would inform and guide his later work.
He was a writer.
Fela encountered Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X during his time in the United States. The experience inspired him to create an activist movement known as the Movement of the People, and to write songs that reflected his views about black activism and political consciousness. His philosophical ideas were aired in public via the medium of yabis, which is a form of public speaking that was referred to as 'freedom of expression'. He also began to establish strict moral codes for his group, which included refusing to use 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 constant. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area around the club with hard drugs, particularly "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela maintained his integrity regardless of this. His music is a testimony to his determination in challenging authority and demanding that popular ambitions are manifested in official goals. It is a legacy that will last 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 audience as well as the government and himself. He also referred to himself in these shows as "the big dick in the pond with the little fish." The authorities did not take his jokes lightly and he was often detained, imprisoned, and beat by the authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo which means "he has his death in his bag."
In 1977, Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he contrasted soldiers with mindless zombies who followed orders without any question. The military was offended by the song, 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 window.
Fela developed Afrobeat in the decades that after the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz and indigenous African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African religions and culture. He also criticised fellow Africans for disrespecting the traditions of their homeland. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a rapper
A trumpeter, saxophonist and 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 trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement, and her ideas impacted his work profoundly.
The music of Fela became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government in his country of birth and argued that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about social injustices and human right violations. He was frequently detained for his criticism of military.
Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, also known as "igbo" in Africa. He held "yabis" (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule officials of the government and express his views on freedom of expression and beauty of women's bodies. Fela had Harems, an ensemble of young women who performed at his shows as well as backing his vocally.
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 renowned African musician and vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and seeing his mother killed, Fela refused to leave the country. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was an activist for the political cause who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial political parties. He also promoted black-power and decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African influences for dividing the people of Africa. The title track from a 1978 album, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses packed with workers "shuffering and smiling." Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was enhanced by his dancers, who were vibrant sensual, regal, and sensual. Their contributions were just as important as Fela's lyrics.
He was a political militant
Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to challenge unjust authorities. He transformed his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms making a sound that was ready for a fight. Most of his songs begin as slow instrumentals, gradually layering short-lined melodies and riffs until they explode in a flash of vigor.
Fela was, unlike many artists who were afraid to speak about their politics He was adamant and unbending. He stood for his beliefs even when it was dangerous to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was both a protestant minister and the president of the teachers union.
He also established Kalakuta Republic - a recording studio and commune that grew into a symbol of the resistance. The government raided the commune, degrading the property and hurting Fela severely. He refused to give up however and continued to speak out against the government. He died of complications from AIDS in 1997. His son Femi continues to carry his legacy of music and politics.
He was a father
Music is often seen as a political act with artists using lyrics to call for change. Some of the most powerful music demonstrations are not accompanied by words. Fela Kuti was one such artist, and his music still rings out to this day. He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with hip-hop and jazz and was influenced by artists such as 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 Nigeria should serve its whole 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 is a blend of the sounds and politics of Fela's day with a passionate critique of the same power structures that are still in place in the present. Black Times will be released at the end March. Many fans attended the funeral at Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so large, that the police had to block the entrance.