Fela Kuti
The life of Fela is full contradictions, and that's part of what makes him captivating. People who love him accept the bad parts of him.
His songs often run for longer than 20 minutes and are performed in thick, almost incomprehensible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns jazz, classical music Yoruba singing, and horn-andguitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is an instrument for change. His music was used to call for political, social and economic changes. His influence can be present even today. Afrobeat is a form of music that combines African and Western influences. Its origins lie in West-African high-life and funk, but it has since evolved into its own genre.
His political activism was fierce and he took action without fear. He made use of his music to protest against corruption by the government and human rights violations. Songs such as "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were daring criticisms of the Nigerian regime. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism as well as an area for gathering with people who were like-minded.
The production includes a massive portrait of his mother, who died in the past Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a well-known feminist and activist. Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does a great job of conveying her importance in the life of Fela. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her declining health, she refused to get tested for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatments.
He was a musician
Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who used music to effect political change. He is known as the creator of afrobeat, an energetic mix of funk, dirty and traditional African rhythms. He was a vocal critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
Having been raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mother and a feminist father, it's not a surprise that Fela was a fan of political and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be a physician but he had different plans.
While he started in a more political highlife fashion, a trip in America changed his outlook forever. His music was profoundly inspired by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism ideology that would influence and inform his later work.
He was a writer.
Fela encountered Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X during his time in the United States. This led him to start a political group called 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 he called "freedom expression". He also began to establish a strict ethical code for his band, such as refusing to receive medications from doctors trained in the West.
After returning to Nigeria Fela began building his own club and the Shrine in Ikeja. The frequent raids by military and police officials were almost daily. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, particularly the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). However, Fela was a man of uncompromising integrity. His music is a testament to the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will endure for generations to be.
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 fans as well as the government and himself. He also referred to himself in these shows as "the big dick on the small pond." The authorities did not take his jokes lightly, and he was repeatedly arrested, imprisoned, and beaten by the authorities. He eventually took the name Anikulapo which translates to "he has death in his pocket."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to zombies who were able to follow orders without hesitation. This irritated the military and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor apartment through a window.
In the decades following Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz and native African rhythm. His songs criticised European imperialism in culture and praised African traditional beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who sabotaged their country's customs. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a rapper
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a saxophonist and trumpeter, was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He was influenced by rock, jazz, and roll, as well as 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.
Fela's music became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his home country and also argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights abuses and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, also known as "igbo" in Africa. He also held "yabis" (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine, where he would mock government officials and share his opinions regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. fela claims had a harem, which was a group of women who performed at his shows as well as backed his vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master at musical fusion. He incorporated elements of beat music, and highlife into his own distinctive style. He was a prominent African musician and vocal critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused to leave, despite being interrogated and detained by the Nigerian military junta as having witnessed the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications.
Fela was an activist for the political cause who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and believed in the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial forces. He also pushed for black power and criticized Christianity and Islam as non-African influenced religions that were used to divide the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from a 1978 album. It describes crowded public transports filled with working poor people, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. His music was enhanced by his dancers, who were vibrant, sensual, and regal. Their contributions to the performance were as important as the words Fela used.
He was a political activist
Fela Kuti was an activist who utilized music to challenge the unjust authority. He took his knowledge of American funk and jazz toward African modes and rhythms, creating music that is ready for a fight. The majority of his songs begin with slow-burning instrumentals, then layering small riffs and melodies until they explode in a flash of vigor.
Fela was, unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political views He was adamant and unbending. He stood up for what he believed in, even when it was risky. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist 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 a symbol of resistance. The government raided the commune, destroying the property and injuring Fela severely. He refused to give up, and continued to speak against the government. He passed away from complications of AIDS in 1997. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to carry on his musical and political legacy.
He was a father
Music is often seen as a form of political protest, with artists using lyrics to call for change. However, some of the most effective music-related protests don't rely on words at all. Fela Kuti was one such artist, and his music still rings out today. He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hip-hop, influenced by artists such as James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Runsome-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 a Nigeria that was serving its the entire population.
Seun, Fela's Son, is carrying on his father's legacy with a group dubbed Egypt 80. The band is on tour around the world this year. The Egyptian 80's music blends the sound of Fela with a sharp critique of the power structures that exist today. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so big, that the police had to shut down the entrance.