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Fela Kuti Fela is a man of contradictions. This is what makes him so intriguing. People who love him forgive the flaws in him. His songs are often 20 minutes or more, and sung in a dense Pidgin English that is almost incomprehensible. His music is influenced primarily 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 change the world. He used his music to advocate for changes in the political and social spheres and his influence can be felt in the world in the present. Afrobeat is a style of music that blends African and Western influences. Its origins lie in West-African hip-life music and funk However, it has since developed into its own style. His political activism was fierce and fearless. He made use of his music to protest government corruption and human rights violations. Songs like “Zombie” and “Coffin for the Head of State” were daring critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also referred to Kalakuta as a place to gather like-minded people and to promote political activism. The play features a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does a great job of capturing the importance she played in Fela's life. The play also explores on her political involvement. Despite her condition deteriorating she refused to be tested for AIDS. Instead, she chose traditional medicine. He was a singer The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex man who used his music as a tool for political change. He is renowned for his creation of Afrobeat, which is a blend of funk and dirty African rhythms. He was also a fervent critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders. Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism and it's not unusual that he is a fan for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be a physician, but he had different plans. A trip to America changed his life forever. His music was profoundly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and leaders like Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism ethos that would guide and inform his later work. He was a writer Fela encountered Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X while in the United States. The experience inspired him to create an organization called the Movement of the People, and to write songs that reflected his ideas on political activism and black consciousness. His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis – a form public speaking he called 'freedom expression'. He also began to enforce an uncompromising code of ethics for his band, including refusing to use medication from Western-trained doctors. Fela returned to Nigeria and began to build his own club in Ikeja. Raids from police and military officials were all the time. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs, including the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). Fela kept his integrity in spite of this. His music is a testimony of his determination to challenge authority and ensuring that the desires of the masses are recognized in official goals. It is an influence that will last for generations. 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 snarkily mocked his audience, government officials, and even himself. In these shows, he referred to himself as “the big fish in the small pond.” These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities, and he was frequently arrested and beatings in the hands of authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo, which translates to “he has his death in his bag.” In 1977, Fela recorded a song called “Zombie,” which compared soldiers to mindless zombies that obeyed orders without hesitation. This offended the military and they 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. In the years following Nigeria's independence, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticised European cultural imperialism and defended African traditional religions and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who sabotaged their nation's traditions. He emphasized the importance of freedom and human rights. He was a hip-hop artist A trumpeter, saxophonist and composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He grew up with jazz music, rock and roll and traditional African music and chants, which helped form his style of music. After a visit to the United States, Fela met Sandra Smith. She was an activist in the Black Power Movement. Her ideas influenced his work. When he returned to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He was critical of the government of his native country and argued against Western sensibilities that affected African culture. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights abuses. He was arrested repeatedly for his criticism of military. Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana, known as “igbo” in Africa. He often held public debates at Afrika Shrine, called “yabis”, in which he would ridicule government officials and promote his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had Harems, which was a group of women who performed in his shows as well as backing him vocally. He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion. He fused elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife into his own unique style. fela law firm influenced generations of African musicians and was an outspoken critic of colonial rule. Despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta and seeing his mother killed, Fela refused to leave the country. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997. Fela was an activist in the political arena who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and embraced the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial political parties. He also pushed for black-power and decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track of an album from 1978. It describes overcrowded public buses full of poor workers, “shuffering and smiling”. Fela was a fierce anti-religious hypocrisy. His music was in turn complemented by his dancers who were lively, sensual, and regal. Their contributions to the performance were as important as the words Fela used. He was a political activist Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to confront unjust authorities. He took his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African modes and rhythms, creating a sound that is braced for a fight. The majority of his songs start as slow-burning instrumentals. He layers melodies, riffs, long-lined melodies and other elements until they explode in a blaze of energy. Unlike many artists, who were hesitant to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood in the cause he believed in, even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Runsome-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 commune and recording studio that was an expression of resistance. The government raided Kalakuta's Republic which destroyed property and injured Fela. 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 on his musical and political legacy. He was a father Music is often seen by many as a political act. The lyrics of musicians are used to call for change. Some of the most powerful musical performances are not supported by words. Fela Kuti is one of the artists mentioned above, and his music still is heard today. He pioneered Afrobeat which combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies, with funk and jazz inspired by artists like James Brown. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Fela's activist mother. She was a unionist and fought 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 which served its all of its citizens. Seun, Fela's Son, is carrying on his father's legacy with a group dubbed Egypt 80. The band will be touring the globe this year. The music of Egypt 80 combines the sound of Fela and a scathing critique of the power structures that exist today. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that police were forced to shut down the entrance to the venue.