Fela Kuti
The life of Fela is full contradictions, and that's part of what makes him fascinating. People who love him accept the bad parts of him.
His songs typically last longer than 20 minutes and are performed in thick, 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 transform the world. His music was used to argue for political, social and economic change. His influence can be present even today. His musical style, Afrobeat, is a synthesis of African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African hip-life music and funk however, it has evolved into a distinct genre.
His political activism was ferocious and unflinching. He used his music as a protest against government corruption and human right abuses. Songs like "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were bold critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also made use of Kalakuta as a venue to meet like-minded people and to promote political activism.
The play features a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a well-known feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. She is portrayed by actress Shantel Cribbs, who has successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also examines her political activism. Despite her declining health she refused to be checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional treatments.
He was a singer
The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex man who used his music to facilitate political change. He is credited with being the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating hybrid of dirty funk and traditional African rhythms. He was a vocal critic of Nigeria's religious and political leaders.
Being raised by an anti-colonial feminist mother and a feminist father, it's not a surprise that Fela had a passion for political and social commentary. His parents believed that he would eventually become a doctor however, there were other goals for him.
A trip to America changed his perspective forever. The exposure to Black power movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver had a profound effect on his music. He adopted a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, that would influence and guide his later work.
He was a songwriter
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 organization called the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that reflected his views about black activism and political consciousness. His philosophical ideas were aired in public through the medium of yabis, which is a form of public speaking which was referred to as 'freedom of expression'. He also began to impose an uncompromising code of ethics for his group, which included refusing to use medication from Western-trained doctors.
Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja. The raids by military and police officials were almost daily. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers were able to repopulate the area around the club with hard drug particularly "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). But despite this, Fela maintained an uncompromising integrity. His music demonstrates the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that popular ambitions be reflected in official objectives. It is an enduring legacy that will endure 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 poked fun at 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 viewed lightly by the authorities, and he was repeatedly detained, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of the authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo, which means "he is carrying his body in his purse."
In 1977, Fela recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to mindless zombies who followed orders without question. The military was offended by the song, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown out of her second-floor window.
Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that followed the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that blends jazz with the indigenous African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated 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 helped form his 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 impacted his work profoundly.
The music of Fela became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his country of birth and argued that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about societal inequities and human rights violations and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military.
Fela also openly advocated the use of marijuana, also known as "igbo" in Africa. He often held public debates at Afrika Shrine, also known as "yabis" which was where he would slam government officials and promote his beliefs about freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had a harem, a group of young women who performed in his shows and backed him vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master at musical fusion. He combined elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife to create his own distinctive style. He influenced generations of African musicians and was an outspoken critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused to be tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta as being a witness to the murder of his mother. He died of complications due to AIDS in 1997.
Fela was an activist in the political arena 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 issue of oppression by both colonial and government parties. He also promoted black power and criticised Christianity and Islam as non-African imports that have been used to divide the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from the album released in 1978. It is about overcrowded public transports filled with people who are poor, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce anti-religious hypocrisy. His music was in turn complemented by his dancers who were lively elegant, sensual, and beautiful. Their contributions to the show were as significant as the words of Fela.
He was a political militant
Fela Kuti utilized music as a way to challenge oppressive authorities. He made use of his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for a fight. railroad injury fela lawyer of his songs start with slow-burning instrumentals, then layering small riffs and melodies until they explode with a ferocious vigor.
Fela was, unlike many artists who were scared to speak about their politics was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood up for what he believed in even when it was risky. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was both a protestant minister and the president of the teachers union.
He also created Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an expression of resistance. The government seized the commune, degrading the property and hurting Fela badly. He refused to give up, however 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 music and political legacy.
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 are not accompanied by words. Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music still rings out to this day. He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat that combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with jazz and funk, inspired by artists like James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti, 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 Nigeria should be serving its whole population.
Seun Fela's son continues to carry the legacy of his father with a band named Egypt 80. The band is on tour around the world this year. The band's music combines the sounds and political stances of Fela's day with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that are still in place in the present. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. Thousands of fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge, that the police had to shut down the entrance.