Notes

The No. #1 Question Everybody Working In Fela Should Be Able To Answer
Fela Kuti

The life of Fela is full contradictions, and that's a large part of what makes him so fascinating. People who love him forgive the parts of him that aren't perfect.

His songs are usually 20 minutes or more and are sung in a thick Pidgin English that is almost impossible to understand. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also incorporates jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with horns and guitars.

He was a musician

Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be a tool for change. He utilized his music to call for changes in the political and social spheres and his influence is present in the world even today. His musical style, Afrobeat, is a synthesis of African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African music and funk. However it has evolved into a completely new genre.

His political activism was fierce and frightened. He utilized his music as a protest against government corruption and human right abuses. Songs such as "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were bold critiques of Nigeria's regime. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as a hub for political activism as well as an area for gathering with people who were like-minded.

The play includes a large portrait of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent activist and feminist pioneer. The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs who has successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also explores on her political involvement. Despite her condition deteriorating, she refused to be tested for AIDS. Instead she opted for traditional treatments.

He was a musician

Fela Ransome-Kuti was a multifaceted musician who used his music to facilitate political change. He is credited as the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating blend of funk and traditional African rhythms. He was also a relentless critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.

Having been raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mother It's no surprise that Fela was interested in social commentary and politics. His parents hoped that he would eventually become a doctor, but there were other goals for him.

A trip to America changed his perspective forever. His music was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He embraced the Pan-Africanism philosophy, which would guide and inform his later work.


He was a songwriter

Fela encountered Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X while in the United States. The experience inspired him to start an organization called the Movement of the People and create songs that reflected the ideas that he held about political activism and black awareness. His ideas were expressed through the medium of yabis, a form of public speaking which is referred to as 'freedom of expression'. He also began imposing an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained doctors.

Fela returned to Nigeria and started building his own club in Ikeja. The frequent raids by military and police officials were almost daily. Mosholashi-Idi-Oro's hangers-on repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, particularly the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). Fela kept his integrity in spite of this. His music speaks to his determination to challenge authority and ensuring that the desires of the masses are reflected in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will endure for generations to come.

He was a poet

In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also snarkily mocked his audience, government officials, and even himself. During 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, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of the authorities. He eventually adopted the name Anikulapo which translates to "he carries 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. The military was offended by the song, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown out of her second-floor apartment by the window.

Fela developed Afrobeat during the years that followed the country's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with native African rhythm. His songs criticised European culture imperialism and supported African traditional religions and cultures. He also criticised fellow Africans for ignoring the traditions of their homeland. He also 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 inspired by jazz, rock and roll as well as traditional African music as well as 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 profoundly.

Upon his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He criticised the government of his country, and argued against Western sensibilities that affected African culture. He also wrote about societal 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 that is also known as "igbo". He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, which he referred to as "yabis", in which he would slam government officials and promote his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had a harem of young women who performed in his shows and served as vocal backups for his vocalists.

He was a dancer

Fela was a master of musical fusion. He incorporated elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife into his own distinctive style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was an outspoken critic of colonial rule.

Fela refused to leave, despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta, as well having witnessed 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 believed in the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, like 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial political parties. He also advocated black power and criticised Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. The title track on the album from 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses full of poor people "shuffering and smiling." Fela was a strong opponent of hypocrisy in religion. Fela's dancers were also an excellent match for his music. They were vibrant, sensual and elegant. Their contributions were just as important as Fela’s words.

He was a political militant

Fela Kuti used music as a way to challenge unjust authorities. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms, creating music that is ready for battle. The majority of his songs start as slow-burning instrumentals. He layers notes, riffs and other elements until they explode in a blaze of energy.

Fela was, unlike many artists who were afraid to discuss their political beliefs was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood in the cause 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 president of the teachers union.

He also established Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an emblem of resistance. The government seized the commune, degrading the property and injured Fela severely. He refused to give up, and continued to speak against the government. He died in 1997 from complications arising from AIDS. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to continue his musical and political legacy.

He was a father

Music is often viewed by many as a political act. Musicians use lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful musical performances are not supported by words. Fela Kuti is one of these artists and his music is heard today. He pioneered Afrobeat which combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with funk and jazz in the style of artists like James Brown.

Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Fela's activist mother. She was a unionist and opposed colonialism. fela claims railroad employees helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied marxism and believed in a Nigeria that served its the entire population.

Seun, Fela's Son, continues to carry the legacy of his father with a band named Egypt 80. The band is touring the world in this year. The Egyptian 80's music blends the sound of Fela with a sharp critique of power structures that still exist today. The new album, Black Times, will be released in March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that police had to shut down the entrance to the location.

My Website: https://vimeo.com/708488069