jeansslice6
User Name: You need to be a registered (and logged in) user to view username.
Total Articles : 0
Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions Thats what makes him so fascinating People who love him will forgive the bad parts of him His songs are usually 20 minutes or more and are sung in a slurred Pidgin English that is almost incomprehensible His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns and jazz classical music Yoruba music chant and hornandguitar heavy highlife He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is a tool for change He utilized his music to call for social and political changes and his influence is evident in the world of even today His style of music Afrobeat is a synthesis of African and Western influences Its origins lie in WestAfrican hiplife music and funk however it has evolved into its own style His political activism was intense and he acted without fear He used his music to protest against corruption in the government and human rights abuses Songs like Zombie Coffin for the State Head and others were blatant criticisms of Nigerias dictatorship He also made use of Kalakuta as a platform to connect with likeminded individuals and to promote political activism The play includes a large portrait of his mother who died in the past Funmilayo ransomeKuti She was a renowned feminist and activist Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does a fantastic job of conveying her importance in Felas life The play also explores her political activism Despite her declining health she refused to undergo tests for AIDS Instead she chose traditional treatment He was a musician Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who used music to effect political change He is known as the creator of afrobeat an invigorating blend of funk dirty and traditional African rhythms He was also a relentless critic of Nigerias governmental and religious leaders His mother was a suffragist against colonialism so it is not surprising that he has a love for political commentaries and social commentary His parents had hoped that he would eventually become a doctor however there were other goals for him While he began in a more political highlife style a trip to America could alter his perspective forever His music was profoundly affected by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X He embraced the PanAfricanism philosophy which would guide and inform his later work He was a songwriter While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X The experiences inspired him to establish an organization called the Movement of the People and to compose songs that reflected his ideas about black activism and political consciousness His philosophy was expressed publicly through yabis a form public speaking that he called freedom expression He also began imposing an ethical code of conduct on his band This included refusing to accept medication from Westerntrained physicians After his return to Nigeria Fela started building his own club The Shrine in Ikeja Raids from police and military officials were almost all the time His hangerson from MosholashiIdiOro repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs particularly bana and yamuna heroin But despite this Fela was a man of uncompromising integrity His music is a testament to his determination in challenging authority and demanding that popular ambitions are reflected in official goals It is an amazing legacy that will be remembered for generations to come He was a poet Felas music utilized sarcasm as well as humor to bring attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria He also poked fun at his audience government officials and even himself He referred to himself during these shows as the big dick on the little pond The authorities took his jokes lightly and he was frequently detained imprisoned and beating by the authorities He was eventually given the title Anikulapo which translates to he carries his death in his bag 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 who seized the Kalakuta Republic burning it down and beating its inhabitants In the course of the raid her mother was thrown out of her secondfloor window Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that followed the countrys independence Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz and the indigenous African rhythm His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and he favored traditional African beliefs and cultures He also criticised fellow Africans for ignoring their countrys traditions He also 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 was influenced by rock jazz and roll as well as 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 in a profound way Upon his return to Nigeria Fela began using his music as a political tool He was critical of the government in his home country and insisted that African culture should not be submerged by Western sensibilities He also wrote about social inequities and human rights violations and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military Fela was also a fervent advocate of marijuana in Africa and is referred to as igbo He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine called yabis which was where he would slam government officials and spread his beliefs about freedom of expression and the beauty of womens bodies Fela also had an entourage of young women who performed at his shows and acted as vocal backups to him He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion taking elements from jazz beat music and highlife to create his own unique style He was a leading African musician and vocal critic of colonial ruling Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and witnessing his mother murdered Fela refused to leave the country He died in 1997 of AIDSrelated complications Fela was an activist for the political cause who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian government and believed in the principles of Pan Africanism His albums like 1973s Gentleman focused on the oppression of both the government and colonial political parties He also emphasized black power and criticised Christianity and Islam as nonAfrican imports which have been used to divide the people of Africa The title track on the album from 1978 Shuffering and Shmiling describes the overcrowded public buses filled with poor workers shuffering and smiling Fela was a staunch opponent of religious hypocrisy The dancers of Fela were a great complement to his music They were sensual vibrant and elegant Their contributions to the performances were as important as the words of Fela He was an activist in the political arena Fela Kuti was a militant who used music to challenge the unjust authority He adapted his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms and created a sound that was ready for fight fela railroad accident lawyer of his songs begin as simmering instrumentals slowly layering small riffs and melodies until they explode in a flash of vigor Unlike many artists who were hesitant to expose their political beliefs Fela was fearless and uncompromising He stood in his convictions even when it was dangerous to do so His mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti was a fervent feminist who led the Nigerian Womens Movement His father was a protestant minister and 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 Kalakuta Republic destroying property and severely injured Fela He refused to give up and continued to speak out against the government He died of complications from AIDS in 1997 He was succeeded by his son Femi who continues to continue his musical and political legacy He was a father Music is often seen as a political act with musicians using lyrics to demand change But some of the most powerful musicrelated protests do not use words in any way Fela Kuti was one of them and his music continues to ring out to this day He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music which blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hiphop inspired by artists like James Brown Funmilayo RansomeKuti Felas maternal grandmother was an activist 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 in the idea of a Nigeria which served its the entire population Seun Felas Son is carrying the legacy of his father through a band named Egypt 80 The band will be touring the globe this year The bands music combines the sounds and political stances of Felas day with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that are still in place today The album Black Times will be released in March A large number of fans paid their respects at the funeral held in Tafawa Balewa square The crowd was so huge that police had to block the entrance