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Fela RansomeKuti In addition to being a musician Fela was a political activist and a PanAfricanist He was a defender of African culture and was influenced Black Power He traveled to Ghana and discovered new musical influences He composed songs that were intended to be political statements against the Nigerian government as well as a global order that abused Africa regularly His music was uncompromisingly radical Fela Ransome Kuti was born Abeokuta In the 1970s and the 1980s Fela RansomeKuti became known for his abrasive musical style and shrewd political declarations Many of his songs were direct critiques of the Nigerian government and the military dictatorships which were in power during those years He also criticised fellow Africans for supporting these dictatorships Felas rebellion against oppressive governments cost him dearly He was beaten detained and incarcerated numerous times He once claimed to be a prisoner of the Kalakuta Republic and founded his own political group known as the Movement for the Advancement of the People MOP Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Felas mother She was a feminist leader and womens rights activist who is known throughout the world She was an active member of the Abeokuta Womens Union and worked as a teacher fela settlements assisted in organising the first preschool classes of Abeokuta She was a suffragist and was a part of the Nigerian Independence Movement She was a close kin of the writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka RansomeKuti was a proponent of PanAfricanism and was a strong socialist She was a strong supporter of socialism and PanAfricanism RansomeKuti was influenced Malcolm X Eldridge Clever and the Black Power Movement She was a member of African Renaissance Movement Felas music was able despite his opposition to the oppressive Nigerian Government and Western culture to gain an international fan base His music was influenced by Afrobeat rock and jazz and was heavily inspired by the beats of American jazz clubs He was a staunch opposition to racism The Nigerian rebel Felas revolt against the government resulted in many arrests and beatings This did not deter him from traveling the United States and Europe In 1984 he was snatched by the military and was detained under questionable charges Human rights groups from around the world intervened following the incident and the government was forced to step down Kuti however continued to document and perform until his death in 1998 He was buried at the Kalakuta Cemetery in Abeokuta The city is now home to the Fela Museum He was a musician A fervent PanAfricanist Fela was adamant about using his music as a method of social protest He was a critic of the Nigerian Government and inspired activists across the globe Fela was born in 1938 in Abeokuta Nigeria He was the son of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti an anticolonialist who was a leader in the Nigerian womens movement His mother was also a doctor and anticolonialist as were his grandparents Felas life work was to fight for the rights and liberties of the oppressed Fela started his career as a music in 1958 after his departure from medical school He was determined to pursue his passion for music He started out playing highlife a cult music genre that blends traditional African rhythms with Western instruments and jazz He started his first band in London where he was able to improve his skills After his return to Nigeria he created Afrobeat that combined the lyrics of agitprop with danceable rhythms The new style was popular across Nigeria and across Africa becoming one of the most influential forms of African music Felas political activism during the 1970s put him in direct conflict with Nigerian regimes The regime feared his musics ability to inspire people to take on their oppressors and challenge the status established order Fela despite repeated attempts to silence his music continued to produce a ferocious and danceable music until the end of life He died from AIDSrelated complications in 1997 When Fela was alive lines of people were always waiting to watch him perform at his nightclub in Lagos known as Afrika Shrine He also established the Kalakuta republic a commune that was used as his recording studio and club The commune also was an arena for political speeches Fela often critiqued 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 is still alive His Afrobeat sound has influenced many artists including Beyonce and Wyclef Jean Jay Z has also mentioned him as an influence He was a mysterious man who was a lover of music fun and women But his greatest legacy is his relentless efforts to fight for the oppressed 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 of African culture with American jazz and funk and using his music to protest against the oppressive Nigerian government Despite being the subject of numerous arrests and beatings but He continued to stand up for and defend his beliefs Fela was raised in the RansomeKuti clan that included anticolonialists artists and artists His mother Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a educator and feminist as was his father Israel Oludotun Ransome Kuti helped form an union of teachers He grew up hearing and singing the classic melodies of highlife They were a mixture of jazz standards soul ballads and Ghanaian hymns His worldview was inspired by the music of his father He was determined to bring Africa and the world together In 1977 Fela recorded Zombie The track portrayed police officers to a mindless group of hordes who would obey orders and brutalize the people The song irritated military authorities who surrounded his home and took over his property They slayed everyone including Felas children and women His mother was taken from a window and died the following year of injuries she sustained in the assault The war fueled Felas antigovernment activism He established a commune called the Kalakuta Republic It also was a studio used 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 ruling juntas headquarters in Lagos and was beaten for his efforts Fela was a fierce and unbending warrior who never accepted the status established order He knew that he was fighting an opponent that was unjust and inefficient and yet he did not give up He was the epitomization of an indefatigable spirit and in this manner he was truly hero He was a man who defied every challenge and in the process changed the course of history His legacy continues to live on today He died in 1997 The passing of Fela was a devastating blow to his many fans across the world Millions of people attended his funeral He was at 58 when he died His family members said the cause of death was heart failure as a result of AIDS Fela played a significant role in the development and development of Afrobeat music a genre that combines traditional Yoruba rhythms jazz as well as 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 resist corruption in the Nigerian military government Fela was also a major influencer on the Black Power movement in the United States which inspired him to continue fighting for Africa In his later years Fela was diagnosed with skin lesions and he also lost weight rapidly These signs were an evident indication that he had AIDS He was an AIDS disbeliever and refused treatment but eventually died from the disease Fela Kutis legacy will be carried on for generations to come Kutis songs are an eloquent statement of political opinion that challenge the status quo He was a revolutionary who wanted to change the way 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 his name will be remembered for his contributions Through his entire career Fela worked with various producers to create his distinct sound Some of the producers he worked with included EMI producer Jeff Jarratt British dub master Dennis Bovell and keyboardist Wally Badarou His music was a mix of traditional African beats American funk and jazz which gave him an international following He was a controversial figure in the music business and often criticized Western culture Fela was known for his controversial music and life style He was a pot smoker and had a number of affairs with women Despite his outrageous lifestyle he was an activist and fought for the rights of the poor in Nigeria His music influenced the lives of many Africans and inspired them to embrace their own culture