Fela Kuti
The life of Fela is full of contradictions, and that's part of what makes him captivating. People who love him will forgive the flaws in him.
His songs often run for up to 20 minutes, and are performed in dense, almost incomprehensible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also includes jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with guitars and horns.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a tool to transform the world. His music was used to advocate for political, social and economic change. His influence is still felt even today. His style of music, Afrobeat, is a combination of African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African high-life and funk However, it has since evolved into its own style.
His political activism was fierce and he did it without fear. He made use of his music to protest against corruption in the government and human rights abuses. Songs like "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were daring critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as a hub for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded individuals.
The production includes a massive portrait of 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 depicted her importance in the life of Fela. The play also highlights her political activism. Despite her declining health she was unable to get checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional medicine.
He was a singer
Fela Ransome-Kuti was a complex man who used his music as a tool for political change. He is known for creating afrobeat - a fusion of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was also a constant critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
His mother was an anti-colonial suffragist and it's not surprising that he is a fan for social commentary and politics. His parents hoped that he would eventually become a doctor but there were other goals for him.
While he began in a more apolitical highlife fashion, a trip in America changed his outlook forever. His music was greatly affected by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leadership such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He developed the Pan-Africanism philosophy, that would influence and guide 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. This experience led him to form an activist group known as the Movement of the People and write songs that reflected the ideas he had about political activism and black awareness. His ideas were expressed in public through the medium of yabis, which is a form of public speaking was referred to as 'freedom of expression'. He also began to impose an ethical code of conduct on his band. This included refusing to accept prescriptions from Western-trained physicians.
After returning to Nigeria Fela began building his own club The Shrine in Ikeja. The frequent raids by police and military officials was almost constant. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers were able to repopulate the area around the club with hard drugs, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela kept his integrity regardless of this. His music is a testament to his determination to challenge authority and ensuring that the desires of the masses are reflected in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will last for generations to be.
He was a poet
Fela's music utilized sarcasm as well as humor to bring attention to economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his fans as well as 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 viewed lightly by the authorities, and he was frequently arrested and beatings in the hands of authorities. He eventually took the name Anikulapo, meaning "he is carrying death in his pouch."
In 1977, Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he contrasted soldiers with brainless zombies that followed orders without asking questions. The military was offended by the song and seized Kalakuta Republic. They burned it down and beat its residents. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown out of her second-floor apartment through a window.
Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that after the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their nation's traditions. He also stressed the importance of freedom and human rights.
He was a rapper
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music. He was heavily influenced by jazz, rock, and roll and also traditional African music as well as 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 influenced his work dramatically.
When fela accident attorney returned to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a tool for political purposes. He criticized the government of his home country and argued that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights abuses and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela was also a proponent of marijuana in Africa, which is known as "igbo". He held "yabis" (public discussions) at the 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 an harem, which was a group of young women who performed at his shows as well as supported him vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion, taking elements from beat music and highlife to create his own unique style. He was a leading African musician and a vocal critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused to be detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as well as witnessing the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 of AIDS-related complications.
Fela was a prominent political activist who criticized the oppressive Nigerian Government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both the government and colonial political parties. He also promoted black-power and decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports for dividing the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from the album released in 1978. It describes overcrowded public transports filled with poor workers, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. Fela's dancers were also an excellent match for his music. They were vivacious, sensual, and regal. Their contributions to the performances were as significant as the words of Fela.
He was an activist for the political cause.
Fela Kuti utilized music as a tool to challenge oppressive authorities. He took his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms, resulting in an edgy sound that was prepared for battle. Most of his songs begin as slow-burning instrumentals. He layers melodies, riffs, long-lined melodies and other elements until they explode with urgency.
Fela was, unlike many artists who were afraid to speak about their politics was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood up for what 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 recording studio and commune that became an emblem of the resistance. The government seized the commune, degrading the property and injured Fela badly. He refused to give up, however and continued to speak against the government. He passed away in 1997 due to complications caused by AIDS. His son Femi continues to carry his legacy of music and politics.
He was a father
Music is often viewed by many as a political act. Musicians use lyrics to call for change. Some of the most powerful musical demonstrations aren't performed with words. Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music continues to ring out to this day. He pioneered Afrobeat, combining traditional African harmonies and rhythms with funk and jazz being influenced by artists such as James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was an activist and unionist who fought against 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 was serving its entire population.
Seun, Fela's Son, is carrying on his father's legacy with a band named Egypt 80. The band will be touring the globe this year. The Egyptian 80's music blends the sound of Fela and a scathing critique of the power structures that exist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid their tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that police had to block the entrance.