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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions This is what makes him so fascinating People who love him will forgive the flaws in him His songs are typically 20 minutes long or longer and are sung in a thick Pidgin English that is almost impossible to understand His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music fela lawsuit settlements blends jazz Yoruba and highlife with horns and guitars He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied that music can be used to influence the world His music was used to argue for social political and economic reforms His influence can be felt today His musical style Afrobeat is a synthesis of African and Western influences Its roots are in WestAfrican and funk However it has evolved into a brand new genre His political activism was fierce and frightened He used his music to speak out against corruption in government and human rights abuses Songs such as Zombie Coffin for the State Head and others were blatant criticisms of Nigerias government The residence he lived in Kalakuta Republic as an enclave for political activism as well as a gathering place for people who were likeminded The production features a huge portrait of his mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti who was a wellknown feminist activist and feminist pioneer Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does an excellent job of expressing her significance in the life of Fela The play also focuses on her political activism Despite her condition deteriorating she refused to be tested for AIDS Instead she chose traditional treatments He was a singer Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex individual who utilized music to bring about changes in the political landscape He is credited as the creator of afrobeat It was an energetic mix of dirty funk and traditional African rhythms He was a fervent critic of Nigerias religious and political leaders Felas mother was a suffragist against colonialism So its not unusual that he is a fan for political commentary and social commentary His parents believed that he would be a doctor however there were other goals for him 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 embraced an Africancentric philosophy which would inform and guide his later work He was a writer Fela was introduced to Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X during his time in the United States 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 that he described as freedom expression He also started to impose an ethical code on his band This included refusing to accept medication from Westerntrained medical professionals Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja The snares of military and police officials were almost constant His MosholashiIdi Oro hangers repopulated the area around the club with drugs of all kinds particularly bana and yamuna heroin Fela was a steadfast person regardless of this His music is a testament to the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that popular ambitions be reflected in official goals It is an amazing legacy that will be remembered for generations to be He was a poet In his music Fela used lighthearted sarcasm to discuss political and economic issues in Nigeria He also ridiculed his audience as well as 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 viewed lightly by the authorities and he was repeatedly detained and imprisonments as well as beatings at the hands of authorities He eventually adopted the name Anikulapo meaning he has death in his pocket In 1977 Fela released a song called Zombie in which he contrasted soldiers with brainless zombies that followed orders without asking questions This irritated the military which raided the Kalakuta Republic burning it down and beating its inhabitants During the raid Felas mother was thrown out of her secondfloor apartment by the window Fela developed Afrobeat in the decades that following the nations independence Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with native African rhythm His songs criticized European imperialism in culture and praised African traditional beliefs and cultures He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their nations traditions He also stressed the importance of human rights and freedom He was a rapper A trumpeter saxophonist composer and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre Fela AnikulapoKuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta Nigeria He was influenced by jazz rock and roll and also traditional African music chants and music After an excursion to the United States in 1969 Fela met Sandra Smith an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas affected his work dramatically Upon his return to Nigeria Fela began using his music as a political tool He criticized the government of his native country and argued against Western sensibilities that affected African culture He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights abuses and was often detained for his criticism of the military Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana referred to as igbo in Africa He held yabis public discussions at the Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule government officials and express his views regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of womens body Fela had an harem which was a group of young women who performed at his shows as well as supported him vocally He was a dancer Fela was a master at musical fusion He combined elements of beat music and highlife to create his own unique style He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling Fela refused to be tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta as well having witnessed the murder of his mother He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997 Fela was a prominent political activist who criticized the oppressive Nigerian Government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism His albums including 1973s Gentleman focused on addressing oppression from both colonial and government parties He also advocated black power and decried Christianity Islam and other nonAfrican imports for dividing the people of Africa The title track from the album from 1978 Shuffering and Shmiling describes the overcrowded public buses packed with workers shuffering and shmiling Fela was a strong opponent of hypocrisy in religion His dancers were an excellent match for his music They were sensual vibrant and regal Their contributions were just as important as Felas words He was a political activist Fela Kuti used music as a tool to challenge oppressive authorities He made use of his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African modes and rhythms resulting in music that is ready for battle The majority of his songs start as slowburning instrumentals He layers little notes riffs and other elements until they explode with urgency Contrary to the majority of artists who were hesitant to speak out about their politics Fela was fearless and uncompromising He stood for his beliefs even when it was risky to do so His mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti was a prominent feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Womens Movement His father was a protestant minister as well as the head of the teachers union He also established Kalakuta Republic a recording studio and commune that became an emblem of the resistance The government raided Kalakutas Republic and destroyed property as well as injuring Fela He refused to give up and continued to speak out against the government He passed away from complications of AIDS in 1997 His son Femi continues to carry his musical and political legacy He was a father Music is often seen as a political act with artists using lyrics to solicit change Some of the most powerful musical demonstrations are not supported by words Fela Kuti was one of them and his music continues to ring out to this day He was the founder of Afrobeat music which blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hiphop and was being influenced by artists like James Brown Felas mother Funmilayo RunsomeKuti was a militant and unionist who fought against colonialism She helped form the Abeokuta Womens Union and fought against genderdiscriminatory taxation laws She also studied Marxism and believed that Nigeria should be serving its whole population Seun Felas Son continues to carry the legacy of his father with a group dubbed Egypt 80 The band will be touring the globe this year The Egypt 80s music combines the sounds of Fela and a scathing critique of power structures that still exist 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 police had to block the entrance