Fela Kuti
The life of Fela is full of contradictions, which is part of what makes him fascinating. People who love him accept the parts of him that aren't perfect.
His songs are often 20 minutes long or longer, and sung in a thick Pidgin English that is almost incomprehensible. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also blends jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with guitars and horns.
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 changes in the political and social spheres, and his influence is still evident in the world of today. Afrobeat is a style of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African music as well as funk. However it has evolved into a brand new genre.
His political activism was fierce and fearless. He utilized his music as a protest against corruption by the government and human rights abuses. Songs like "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were bold criticisms of the Nigerian regime. The residence he lived in, Kalakuta Republic, as an area for political activism as well as an area for gathering with like-minded individuals.
The production includes a massive portrait featuring his mother, who died in the past Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a renowned feminist and activist. She is portrayed by actress Shantel Cribbs who has successfully depicted her importance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite her declining health she refused to be tested for AIDS. Instead she opted for traditional treatments.
He was a singer
Fela Ransome-Kuti was a multifaceted musician who used his music to effect political change. He is famous for his work on Afrobeat, which is a blend of funk and dirty African rhythms. He was also a constant critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders.
Growing up with an anti-colonial suffragist mom It's no surprise that Fela was interested in social commentary and politics. His parents had hoped that he would be a doctor but there were other goals for him.
A trip to America changed his outlook forever. Exposure to Black power movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound impact on his music. He developed a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, that would influence and guide his later work.
He was a music producer
While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. The experience inspired him to create an activist movement known as the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that expressed his thoughts on political activism and black consciousness. His ideas were expressed publicly by yabis - a type of public speaking that he called "freedom expression". He also began to establish an uncompromising code of ethics for his group, which included refusing to receive medication from Western-trained doctors.
After his return to Nigeria Fela began building his own club The Shrine in Ikeja. The police and military officials were every day. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs, particularly the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). Despite this Fela maintained an uncompromising integrity. His music is a testament to his determination to challenge authority and demanding that popular ambitions are manifested in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will last 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 poked fun at his audience, government, and even himself. In these shows, he would refer to himself as "the big dick in the pond with a little." These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities, and he suffered repeated arrests and beatings in the hands of 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 zombies who obeyed orders without hesitation. This irritated the military, which 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 decades after Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz with native African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African religions and culture. He also criticised fellow Africans for betraying the traditions of their homeland. He stressed the importance of human rights and freedom.
He was a rapper
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist, was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music. He grew up with jazz music, rock and roll and traditional African music and chants which influenced his style of music. After an excursion to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement, and her ideas impacted his work in a profound way.
When he returned to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a tool for political purposes. 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 social injustices and human right abuses. He was arrested repeatedly for his criticism of military.
Fela was also a fervent advocate of marijuana in Africa and is referred to as "igbo". He often held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, also known as "yabis" where he would lampoon officials of the government and share his beliefs about freedom of expression and the 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 backed him vocally.
He was a dancer
Fela was a master at musical fusion. He fused elements of beat music, and highlife into his own unique style. He influenced a generation African musicians and was an outspoken critic of colonial rule.
Fela refused, despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta as well having witnessed the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 of AIDS-related complications.
Fela was a prominent political activist who opposed the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, like 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial forces. He also promoted black power and decried 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 the album released in 1978. It is about overcrowded public buses filled with working poor people, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was enhanced by his dancers, who were lively sensual, regal, and sensual. Their contributions were just as important as Fela's lyrics.
He was a militant in the political arena.
Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to challenge oppressive authorities. railroad injury fela lawyer took his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African patterns and rhythms, resulting in an edgy sound that was prepared for battle. Most of his songs start as slow instrumentals, gradually layering short-lined melodies and riffs until they explode in a flash of vigor.
Fela, unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political views was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood in his convictions even when it was dangerous to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was both a protestant minister as well as the president of the teachers union.
He also founded Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was a symbol of resistance. The government seized the commune, degrading the property and hurting Fela badly. He refused to give up however and continued to protest against the government. He died from complications of AIDS in 1997. His son Femi continues to carry his political and musical legacy.
He was a father
Music is often seen by many as a political action. Artists use lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful musical demonstrations aren't performed with words. Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music is still ringing out today. He pioneered Afrobeat that combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies, with funk and jazz being influenced by artists such as James Brown.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela's maternal grandmother was a militant 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 in a Nigeria that was serving its all of its citizens.
Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's legacy, through the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music is a blend of the music and politics of Fela's time with a fervent denial of the same power structures that persist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that the police had to block the entrance.