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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions This is what makes him so fascinating People who love him accept the parts of him that arent perfect His songs often run for 20 minutes or more and are sung in dense almost unintelligible Pidgin English His music is influenced by Christian hymns and jazz classical music Yoruba chant and hornandguitar heavy highlife He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied that music can be used to change the world He made use of his music to push for political and social change and his influence can be present in the world today Afrobeat is a style of music that combines African and Western influences Its roots are in WestAfrican music as well as funk However it has evolved into a new genre His political activism was ferocious and unflinching He made use of his music to protest against corruption in the government and human rights violations Songs such as Zombie and Coffin for the Head of State were provocative criticisms of the Nigerian regime He also used his residence Kalakuta Republic as an area for political activism and an area for gathering with likeminded individuals The play features a huge portrait featuring his mother who died in the past Funmilayo ransomeKuti She was a renowned feminist and activist The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs who has successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela The play also highlights on her political activism Despite her deteriorating health she refused to be checked for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatments He was a singer Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who used music to effect changes in the political landscape He is famous for his work on Afrobeat a mix of funk and dirty African rhythms He was a fervent critic of Nigerias religious and governmental leaders His mother was a suffragist against colonialism So its not surprising that he has a love for political commentaries and social commentary His parents believed that he would eventually become a doctor but he had other ideas A trip to America changed his life forever Exposure to Black power movements and the leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver had a profound effect on his music He embraced an Africancentric philosophy which would guide and inform his later work He was a music producer While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X The experience inspired him to create a political movement called the Movement of the People and to compose songs that reflected his ideas on political activism and black consciousness His ideas were expressed in public via the medium of yabis which is a form of public speaking which was referred to as freedom of expression He also began to impose strict moral codes for his band including refusing to use medicine from Westerntrained doctors After returning to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club the Shrine in Ikeja Police and military officials were constant His MosholashiIdi Oro hangers repopulated the area surrounding the club with hard drugs especially bana and yamuna heroin Fela kept his integrity despite this His music demonstrates the determination with which he challenged authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official goals It is an amazing legacy that will last for generations to be He was a poet In his music Fela used lighthearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria He also mocked his audience the government and himself In these shows he would refer to himself as the big dick in the little pond These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities and he was repeatedly detained and imprisonments as well as beatings at the hands of the authorities He was eventually given the title Anikulapo which means he is carrying his death in his pouch In 1977 Fela released a song called Zombie in which he compared soldiers with brainless zombies that followed orders without question The military was irritated by this and seized Kalakuta Republic They burned it down and beat its residents During the raid the mother of Fela was thrown from her secondfloor window Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that after the nations independence Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with the indigenous African rhythm His songs criticised European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African religions and culture He also criticized fellow Africans who sabotaged their nations traditions He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom He was an artist of hiphop Fela Anikulapo Kuti a saxophonist and trumpeter was born in Abeokuta in 1938 He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music He was inspired by rock jazz and roll as well as traditional African music chants and music After a trip 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 became a political instrument after his return to Nigeria He was critical of the government of his native country and also argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture He also wrote about social injustices 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 often held public discussions at Afrika Shrine which he referred to as yabis where he would lampoon government officials and spread his beliefs about freedom of expression and the beauty of womens bodies Fela had an harem which was an ensemble of young women who performed at his shows as well as backing him vocally He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion He combined elements of beat music and highlife to create his own unique style He was a leading African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling Fela refused despite being detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as well as witnessing the murder of his mother He died of complications due to AIDS in 1997 Fela was a prominent political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles of Pan Africanism fela railroad accident lawyer 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 influences for dividing the people of Africa The title track from an album released in 1978 Shuffering and Shmiling describes the overcrowded public buses packed with workers shuffering and smiling Fela was a fierce opponent of religious hypocrisy His dancers were an excellent match for his music They were sensual vibrant and regal Their contributions were as important as Felas lyrics He was a political activist Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to challenge oppressive authorities He took his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African styles and rhythms resulting in music that is ready for a fight Most of his songs start with slowburning instrumentals then layering small riffs and melodies until they explode with a ferocious vigor Fela unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political beliefs was unflinching and uncompromising He stood in the cause he believed in even when it was risky His mother Funmilayo RunsomeKuti was a prominent feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Womens Movement His father was both a protestant minister and the head of the teachers union He also established Kalakuta Republic a recording studio and commune that was an emblem of the resistance The government seized the commune degrading the property and injuring Fela severely He refused to give up and continued to speak against the government He died from complications of AIDS in 1997 He was succeeded by his son Femi who continues to carry on his musical and political legacy He was a father Music is often viewed by many as a form of political protest Artists use lyrics to call for a change But some of the most effective musical protests dont use words in any way Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music continues to ring out to this day He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat music which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hiphop that was being influenced by artists like James Brown Funmilayo RansomeKuti Felas maternal grandmother was a militant 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 Nigeria should be serving its all citizens Seun Felas Son continues to carry the legacy of his father through a band named Egypt 80 The band is touring the world in this year The bands music is a blend of the sounds and politics of Felas era with a fervent denial of the same power structures that persist in the present The album Black Times will be released in March Thousands of fans attended the funeral and paid tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square The crowd was so big that police had to shut down the entrance to the location