Fela Kuti
Fela is a man with contradictions. That's why he's so intriguing. People who love him are able to accept his flaws.
His songs are typically 20 minutes long or longer, and sung in a thick Pidgin English that is almost unintelligible. His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns and classical music, jazz, Yoruba music, chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.
He was a musician
Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is a tool for change. He used his music to advocate for political and social change and his influence can be felt in the world even today. Afrobeat is a style of music that combines African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African high-life music and funk However, it has since developed into its own style.
His political activism was fierce and fearless. He used his music to protest government corruption and human rights abuses. Songs such as "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were daring critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also made use of Kalakuta as a platform to connect with like-minded individuals and to encourage political activism.
The play includes 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 played by actress Shantel Cribbs, who successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite her deteriorating health, she refused to get checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional medicine.
He was a singer
Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex individual who utilized music to bring about political change. He is renowned for his creation of afrobeat - a fusion of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was also a relentless critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.
His mother was an anti-colonial suffragist So it's not surprising that he has a passion for political commentary and social commentary. His parents believed that he would become a doctor but he had other plans.
A trip to America changed his perspective forever. The exposure to Black political movements and leaders such as Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound impact on his music. He adopted an African-centric philosophy that would influence and guide 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 create a political movement called the Movement of the People, and to write songs that reflected his ideas about black activism and political consciousness. His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis - a form public speaking he called "freedom expression". He also started to impose an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to accept medication from Western-trained physicians.
Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja. The police and military officials were almost every day. Mosholashi-Idi-Oro's hangers-on repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). However, Fela was a man of uncompromising integrity. His music is a testament of his determination to challenge authority and demanding that the popular goals are manifested in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will be remembered for generations to be.
He was a poet
In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his fans, 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 taken lightly by the authorities, and he was frequently arrested, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of authorities. He eventually adopted the name Anikulapo, which means "he is carrying death in his pocket."
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 and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor apartment through a window.
In the years after Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, an genre of music that combined jazz and native African rhythm. His songs criticised European cultural imperialism, and he favored traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticised fellow Africans for betraying their country's traditions. He stressed 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 in Afrobeat music. He was influenced by rock, jazz, and roll, as well as traditional African music, chants and music. After his trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement, and her ideas impacted his work dramatically.
The music of Fela became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his home country and insisted that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested 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 ridicule officials of the government and share his opinions on freedom of expression and beauty of women's bodies. Fela had an harem, which was which was a group of women who performed at his shows as well as supported him vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master of musical fusion. He incorporated elements of beat music, and highlife into his own distinctive style. He was a renowned African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling.
Fela refused, despite being detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as well as witnessing the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications.
Fela was a political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, like 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial parties. He also promoted black-power and criticized Christianity, Islam and other non-African influences for dividing the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from an album from 1978. It is about overcrowded public transports filled with working poor people, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. His music was in turn complemented by his dancers who were lively sensual, regal, and sensual. Their contributions to the performances were as significant as the words Fela used.
He was a militant in the political arena.
Fela Kuti was a militant who used music to challenge oppressive authority. He transformed his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms, creating a sound that was ready for a fight. The majority of his songs start with slow-burning instrumentals. He layers melodies, riffs, long-lined melodies and other elements until they explode with urgency.
In contrast to many artists who were afraid to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and uncompromising. He stood up for what he believed in, even when it was risky. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who led the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister and the president of the teachers union.
He also established Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an expression of resistance. The government raided the commune, degrading the property and injuring Fela badly. He refused to relent, though and continued to protest against the government. He died 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 by many as a political action. fela railroad accident lawyer use lyrics to call for a change. However, some of the most powerful musical protests don't use words at all. Fela Kuti is one of these artists and his music rings today. He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat which combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies, with funk and jazz, in the style of artists like James Brown.
Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was an activist and unionist who was a fighter 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 serve its whole population.
Fela's son Seun continues his father's legacy, through a band called Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music blends the music and politics of Fela's day with a passionate critique of the same power structures that are still in place today. Black Times will be released at the end March. Many fans gathered to pay their respects at the funeral in Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so huge that the police had to shut down the entrance.