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Fela RansomeKuti In addition to being a musician Fela was a political activist and a PanAfricanist He was a proponent of African culture and was inspired by Black Power He travelled to Ghana and discovered new musical influences He composed songs meant to be political attacks against the Nigerian government and a global order that was systematically exploiting Africa His music was radical and uncompromising fela case settlements was born Abeokuta Fela ransomeKuti became famous in the 1970s and 80s for his agitated political views and abrasive music Many of his songs were direct criticisms of the Nigerian government and the military dictatorships that were in power in those days He also criticized his fellow Africans for supporting dictatorships Felas rebellion against oppressive governments cost him dearly He was beaten arrested and incarcerated numerous times He once referred to himself as an prisoner of the Kalakuta Republic and founded his own political organization known as the Movement for the Advancement of the People MOP Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Felas mom She was a feminist leader and womens rights activist known throughout the world She was a teacher and an active member of the Abeokuta Womens Union She also helped organize the first preschool classes in Abeokuta She was a suffragist and was active in the Nigerian Independence Movement She was a close relative to writer and Nobel laureate Wole SOYINKA RansomeKuti supported PanAfricanism and was a fervent socialist She argued for the preservation of traditional African beliefs and practices and opposed European cultural imperialism RansomeKuti was influenced in her work by the Black Power movement and the works of Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver She was a member of African Renaissance Movement The music of Fela was able despite his opposition to the oppressive Nigerian Government and Western culture to earn a worldwide following His music was a mixture of Afrobeats jazz and rock heavily inspired by American jazz clubs He was a staunch opposition to racism Felas rebelliousness against the Nigerian government earned him many arrests and beatings However it did not deter him from traveling the United States and Europe In 1984 he again was snatched by the military and arrested under dubious charges Human rights groups from around the world intervened following the incident and the government was forced to back down Kuti however continued to record and perform until his death in 1998 He was buried at the Kalakuta Cemetery Abeokuta The city is now home to the Fela Museum He was a musician Fela a fervent PanAfricanist was committed to making music a tool of social protest Using his funkdriven Afrobeat style he decried the Nigerian government while inspiring activists around the world Fela was born in 1938 in Abeokuta Nigeria He was the son of Funmilayo RunsomeKuti who was a fervent anticolonialist and leader of the Nigerian womens movement His mother was also a physician and anticolonialist like his grandparents Fela was taught to fight for the rights of the oppressed and this became his main focus in life Fela began his career as a musician in the year 1958 after dropping out of medical school to pursue his love of music He began playing highlife a popular music genre that fuses traditional African rhythms with Western instruments as well as jazz He started his first group in London and was able to refine his abilities When he returned to Nigeria he developed Afrobeat that combined the lyrics of agitprop with danceable rhythms The new style was adopted by Nigerians and Africans across the continent It became one of the most influential styles in African music In the 1970s the political activism of Fela put him in direct conflict with Nigerian military regimes The regime was worried that his music would motivate people to revolt against their oppressors and challenge the status quo Fela was adamant despite numerous attempts to silence his music continued to create fierce and danceable music until the end of his life He died in 1997 of complications caused by AIDS The nightclub Felas had in Lagos called Afrika Shrine was always packed with people He also established the Kalakuta republic which was used as his recording studio and club The commune also served as an arena for political speeches Fela often criticized the Nigerian government and world leaders including US President Ronald Reagan British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and South African Prime Minister PW Botha Despite his death from AIDSrelated complications his legacy lives on His revolutionary Afrobeat style continues to influence popular artists such as Beyonce Wyclef Jean and Jay Z who have mentioned him as an influencer He was a mysterious person who was passionate about music women and a good time but his true legacy lies in his relentless efforts to stand up for the marginalized He was a PanAfricanist The renowned Nigerian multiinstrumentalist and political activist Fela AnikulapoKuti was a PanAfricanist bringing his unique musical style to the cause of the people A master at blending elements from African culture with American funk and jazz he also used his music to protest against the oppressive Nigerian government He continued to speak out and stand up for his beliefs even though he was arrested and beaten frequently Fela was raised in the RansomeKuti clan which included artists and anticolonialists His mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti was a feminist educator while his father Israel Oludotun RansomeKuti helped to establish a union of teachers He grew up listening to and singing the traditional melodies of highlife an intermixing of jazz standards soul ballads and Ghanaian hymns This musical heritage shaped the worldview of Fela who was determined to bring Africa to the world and world to Africa In 1977 Fela recorded Zombie The track portrayed police officers to a mindless group of hordes who would obey orders and slay people The song was arouse for the military authorities who invaded the home of Fela and took over his home They beat all of them including Felas wives and children His mother was thrown out of a window and died from injuries sustained in the attack the following year The war was the catalyst for Felas antigovernment activism He founded a commune known as the Kalakuta Republic It also doubled as a studio for recording He also formed a political party and broke away from the Nigerian government and his songs began to concentrate more on social issues In 1979 he took his mothers coffin to the juntas headquarters in Lagos and was later beaten for his efforts Fela was a fearless and unbending warrior who never accepted the status established order He was aware that he was fighting an opponent that was unjust and inefficient but he never gave up He was the epitome of an indefatigable spirit and in that way it was truly heroic He was a man who was able to overcome all odds and change the course of history His legacy lives on to this day He passed away in 1997 The passing of Fela was a devastating loss to his fans around the world Many thousands of people attended his funeral He was at 58 when he died His family said that the cause of death was heart failure due to AIDS Fela played a key part in the creation and evolution of Afrobeat music a genre that combines traditional Yoruba rhythms jazz and American funk His political activism led him to be arrested and beaten by the Nigerian police He refused to be silenced He preached Africanism and encouraged others to stand up against corruption within the Nigerian military government Fela had a significant influence on the Black Power Movement in the United States This inspired him to fight for Africa In his later years Fela developed skin lesions and he lost weight drastically These symptoms indicated he was suffering from AIDS He was an AIDS disbeliever and refused treatment but eventually succumbed to the disease Fela Kuti will be remembered by generations Kutis music is a strong political statement that challenges the status quo He was a revolutionary who sought to change the way that Africans were treated He made use of his music as a method of social protest and fought against colonialism His music was influential in making a difference in the lives of many Africans and he will be remembered for his contributions Through his entire career Fela worked with various producers to create his distinct sound Some of these producers included EMI producer Jeff Jarratt British dub master Dennis Bovell and keyboardist Wally Badarou His music was a blend of traditional African beats and American funk This led to him having an international audience He was a controversial figure in the world of music and often criticized Western culture Fela is wellknown for his controversial music and his lifestyle He smoked openly marijuana and had numerous affairs with women Despite his outrageous life he was a staunch activist and fought for the rights of the poor in Nigeria His music influenced many Africans who lived their lives and helped them to embrace their own culture