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Fela Kuti Felas life is full of contradictions which is part of what makes him so fascinating People who love him will forgive his bad sides His songs are often 20 minutes long or longer and are performed in a thick Pidgin English that is almost incomprehensible fela lawyers is influenced by Christian hymns jazz classical music Yoruba singing and hornandguitar heavy highlife He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is an instrument for change He used his music to advocate for political and social change and his influence is still felt in the world today His style of music Afrobeat is a combination of African and Western influences Its roots lie in WestAfrican hiplife music and funk However it has since evolved into a distinct genre His political activism was ferocious and he acted without fear He made use of his music to protest against government corruption and human rights violations Songs like Zombie Coffin for the State Head and others were shrewd criticisms of Nigerias government The residence he lived in Kalakuta Republic as an enclave for political activism as well as an area for gathering with people who were likeminded The play features a huge portrait featuring 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 capturing the importance she played in the life of Fela The play also focuses on her political activism Despite her declining health she refused to get tested for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatment He was a musician Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who used music to effect political change He is known for creating afrobeat a fusion of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms He was a fervent critic of Nigerias religious and governmental leaders Growing up with an anticolonial suffragist mom it is no surprise that Fela had a passion for political and social commentary His parents wanted him to become medical doctor however he had other plans While he started in a more political highlife fashion a trip in America would change his outlook forever The exposure to Black power movements and the leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound influence on his music He adopted 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 while in the United States The experience inspired him to create a political movement called the Movement of the People and to compose songs that reflected his ideas about black activism and political consciousness His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis a form that he described as freedom expression He also began to establish a strict ethical code for his band including refusing to receive medicine from Westerntrained doctors Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja The frequent raids by military and police officials were almost constant The MosholashiIdi Oro hangerson who he had re the area surrounding the club with hard drugs particularly bana and yamuna heroin Fela maintained his integrity despite this His music is a testimony to the determination with which he challenged authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official objectives It is a remarkable legacy that will last for generations to come He was a poet In his music Fela used lighthearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria He also mocked his fans the government and himself He referred to himself during these shows as the big dick in the little pond The authorities did not take his jokes lightly and he was frequently detained and detained as well as beaten by the authorities He eventually took the name Anikulapo meaning he has death in his pocket 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 and seized Kalakuta Republic They burned the place down and beat its residents During the raid Felas mother was thrown from her secondfloor through a window In the decades following the independence of Nigeria Fela created Afrobeat the genre of music that blended jazz and native African rhythm His songs criticised European imperialism in culture and praised African traditional religions and cultures He also criticized fellow Africans who sabotaged their nations traditions He also stressed the importance of human rights and freedom He was a hiphop artist Fela Anikulapo Kuti trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938 He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music He was heavily influenced by jazz rock and roll as well as traditional African music as well as chants and music After a visit to the United States Fela met Sandra Smith She was an activist in the Black Power Movement Her ideas have influenced his work Felas music was an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria 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 often detained for his criticism of the military Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana known as igbo in Africa He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine also known as yabis in which he would slam government officials and promote his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of womens bodies Fela also had a group of women in his youth who performed at his shows and served as vocal backups for his vocalists He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion He incorporated elements from jazz beat music and highlife to create his own distinct style He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and seeing his mother be killed Fela refused to leave the country He died in 1997 from AIDSrelated complications Fela was an activist in the political arena who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and believed in the principles of Pan Africanism His albums including 1973s Gentleman focused on the oppression of both the government and colonial forces He also advocated black power and decried Christianity Islam and other nonAfrican imports for dividing the people of Africa Shuffering and Smiling is the title track of a 1978 album It describes overcrowded public buses full of working poor people shuffering and smiling Fela was a fierce enemy of religious hypocrisy Felas dancers were also an excellent match for his music They were vibrant sensual and elegant Their contributions to the performance were as significant as the words of Fela He was an activist for the political cause Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to challenge unjust authorities He took his knowledge of American funk and jazz toward African styles and rhythms creating music that is ready for battle Most of his songs begin with slowburning instrumentals He layers notes riffs and other elements until they explode in a blaze of energy Fela was unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political views was fearless and unbending He stood in the cause he believed in even when it was risky Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Womens Movement His father was both 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 the commune destroying the property and hurting Fela severely He refused to back down however and continued to voice his opinion 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 form of political protest and musicians use lyrics to demand change But some of the most powerful musicrelated protests do not use words at all Fela Kuti is among these artists and his music still rings today He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat which combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with jazz and funk inspired by artists like James Brown Felas mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti was an activist and unionist who stood up against colonialism She helped form the Abeokuta Womens Union and fought against genderdiscriminatory taxation laws She also studied marxism and believed in a Nigeria which served its entire population Felas son Seun is continuing his fathers legacy through a band called Egypt 80 thats touring the world this year The Egypt 80s music combines the sounds of Fela and a scathing critique of power structures that still exist today The new album Black Times will be released in March A large number of fans paid their respects at the funeral in Tafawa Balewa square The crowd was so big that police had to block the entrance