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 accept the parts of him that aren't perfect.
His songs often run for up to 20 minutes, and are sung in dense, almost incomprehensible Pidgin English. His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns jazz, classical music Yoruba chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a powerful tool to change the world. He made use of his music to push for political and social change and his influence is still evident in the world of in the present. His style of music, Afrobeat, is a synthesis of African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African high-life music and funk, but it has since evolved into a distinct genre.
His political activism was fierce and fearless. He used his music to protest government corruption and human rights violations. Songs such as "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were bold criticisms of Nigeria's government. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as a hub for political activism and an opportunity to meet like-minded people.
The play features a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a well-known feminist activist and feminist pioneer. Shantel Cribbs plays her, and she does an excellent job of capturing the importance she played in Fela's life. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her deteriorating health she refused to be tested for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatment.
He was a musician
The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex man who employed his music to effect political change. He is credited as the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating blend of dirty funk and traditional African rhythms. He was a fierce critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
Being raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mom and a feminist father, it's not a surprise that Fela was a fan of politics and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become a physician, but he had different plans.
While he started in a more apolitical, highlife style, a trip to 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 adopted a Pan-Africanism ideology, which would influence and inform 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. The experience inspired him to start an activist movement known as the Movement of the People, and to write songs that expressed his thoughts on political activism and black consciousness. His philosophical ideas were aired in public through the way of yabis, an art of public speaking which he dubbed 'freedom of expression'. He also began imposing an ethical code of conduct on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained medical professionals.
After returning to Nigeria Fela started building his own club and the Shrine in Ikeja. The frequent 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 drugs, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela kept his integrity in spite of this. His music is a testament to the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that popular ambitions be reflected in official goals. It is an amazing legacy that will endure for generations to come.
He was a poet
Fela's music used sarcasm and humor to bring attention to economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also ridiculed his audience as well as the government and himself. He referred to himself during these shows as "the big dick in the little pond." The authorities did not take his jokes lightly and he was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned. He was also beat by the authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo, which translates to "he carries his death in his pouch."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to mindless zombies that followed orders without question. The military was offended by the song who seized the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor through a window.
In the decades after Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz and native African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their nation's traditions. He emphasized the importance of freedom and human rights.
He was an artist of hip-hop.
A saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He grew up with jazz, rock and roll and traditional African music and chants, which influenced his unique style of music. After a trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas affected his work dramatically.
The music of Fela became a political instrument upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his country of birth and argued that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about human rights violations and social injustices. rights abuses. He was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela was also a fervent advocate of marijuana in Africa and is referred to as "igbo". He often held public debates at Afrika Shrine, which he referred to as "yabis" which was where he would lampoon government officials and promote his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had Harems, an ensemble of young women who performed in his shows and supported him vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion, combining elements from jazz, beat music, and highlife to create his own distinctive style. He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta and seeing his mother murdered, Fela refused to leave the country. He died in 1997 of AIDS-related complications.
Fela was a prominent political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian Government and supported the principles Pan Africanism. His albums including 1973's Gentleman, focused on fighting oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also pushed for black power and criticized Christianity and Islam as non-African imports, which have been 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 people who are poor, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. Fela's music was also complemented by his dancers, who were vibrant sensual, regal, and sensual. Their contributions to the show were as important as the words Fela used.
He was a political activist
Fela Kuti used music as a way to challenge oppressive authorities. He adapted his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms and created an ear that was ready for a fight. The majority of his songs start with slow-burning instrumentals. He layers little notes, riffs and other elements until they explode with urgency.
Fela was, unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political beliefs He was adamant and unbending. He stood in the cause he believed in even when it was risky. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. fela lawyer was both a protestant minister, and the teacher's union president.
He also founded Kalakuta Republic - a recording studio and commune that was an emblem of the resistance. The government raided Kalakuta Republic, destroying property and severely injuring Fela. He refused to give up, though and continued to voice his opinion 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 seen by many as a political action. Artists use lyrics to call for a change. However, some of the most powerful music-related protests do not use words in any way. Fela Kuti is one of these artists and his music resonates today. He was the founder of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with hip-hop and jazz and was being influenced by artists like James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti was a militant and unionist who fought against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also was a Marxist and believed that Nigeria should serve its entire population.
Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's legacy through a band called Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music combines the sounds and political stances of Fela's time with a fervent denial of the same power structures that persist today. Black Times will be released at the end March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge, that police had to block the entrance.