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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions This is what makes him so intriguing People who love him accept the bad parts of him His songs are usually longer than 20 minutes and are sung in a slurred Pidgin English that is almost impossible to understand His music is influenced by Christian hymns classical music jazz Yoruba music chant and hornandguitar heavy highlife He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be a tool for change He used his music to advocate for political and social change and his influence can be felt in the world in the present His style of music Afrobeat is a synthesis of African and Western influences Its roots are in WestAfrican and funk However it has evolved into a completely new genre His political activism was ferocious and unflinching He made use of his music to protest government corruption and human rights violations Songs like Zombie and Coffin for the Head of State were provocative criticisms of the Nigerian regime He also used Kalakuta as a platform to connect with likeminded individuals and to encourage political activism The play includes a large portrait of his mother Funmilayo RansomeKuti who was a wellknown feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs who has successfully communicated her importance in the life of Fela The play also focuses her political activism Despite her deteriorating health she refused to be tested for AIDS and instead opted for traditional medicine He was a musician Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who used music to effect changes in the political landscape He is famous for his work on Afrobeat a mix of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms He was also a constant critic of Nigerias governmental and religious leaders Felas mother was a suffragist against colonialism and its not surprising that he has a passion for social commentary and politics His parents wanted him to be a physician however he had other plans While he initially sounded in a more apolitical highlife style a trip to America changed his outlook forever The music he composed was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X He adopted a philosophy of PanAfricanism that would influence and guide his later work fela law firm was a songwriter Fela met Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X while in the United States This led him to form a political group called the Movement of the People and write songs that reflected the ideas he had about activism and black awareness His philosophical ideas were aired in public via the medium of yabis a form of public speaking that was referred to as freedom of expression He also began to establish strict moral codes for his group which included refusing to use medication from Westerntrained doctors Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja The snares of police and military officials was almost constant His MosholashiIdi Oro hangers were able to repopulate the area surrounding the club with hard drugs especially bana and yamuna heroin But despite this Fela maintained an uncompromising integrity His music is a testimony to his determination to challenge authority and demanding that popular ambitions are recognized in official goals It is an enduring legacy that will endure for generations He was a poet Felas music employed sarcasm and humor to bring attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria He also ridiculed his audience the government and himself He often referred to himself during these shows as the big dick in the small pond The authorities did not take his jokes lightly and he was often detained and imprisoned He was also beaten by the authorities He was eventually given the title Anikulapo which means he carries his death in his bag In 1977 Fela recorded a song called Zombie which compared soldiers to mindless zombies that followed orders without question The military was offended by the song and seized Kalakuta Republic They burned the place down and beat its inhabitants During the raid Felas mother was thrown out of her secondfloor through a window In the decades following the independence of Nigeria Fela created Afrobeat the genre of music that combines jazz and native African rhythm His songs criticized European imperialism in culture and praised African traditional religions and cultures He also criticised fellow Africans for disrespecting the traditions of their homeland He also stressed the importance of human rights and freedom He was a hiphop artist A trumpeter saxophonist and composer and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre Fela AnikulapoKuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta Nigeria He grew up listening to jazz rock and roll and traditional African music and chants which helped shape his style of 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 dramatically Felas music became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria He criticized the government of his home country and argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture He also wrote about societal inequities and human rights violations and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana referred to as igbo in Africa He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine which he referred to as yabis where he would ridicule officials of the government and share his views on freedom of expression and the beauty of womens bodies Fela also had an entourage of young women who performed in his shows and also served as vocal backups for his vocalists He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion He combined elements of jazz beat music and highlife to create his own unique style He was a renowned African musician and a vocal critic of colonial ruling Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and witnessing his mother murdered Fela refused to leave the country He died from complications due to AIDS in 1997 Fela was a prominent political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the ideals of Pan Africanism His albums such as 1973s Gentleman focused on the oppression of both government and colonial forces He also advocated black power and decried Christianity Islam and other nonAfrican imports that divide the people of Africa The title track on the album from 1978 Shuffering and Shmiling describes the overcrowded public buses packed with workers shuffering and smiling Fela was a staunch opponent of religious hypocrisy The dancers of Fela were a great complement to his music They were sensual vibrant and regal Their contributions to the performances were as important as the words Fela used He was an activist for the political cause Fela Kuti was an activist who utilized music to challenge unjust authority He took his knowledge of American funk and jazz toward African modes and rhythms resulting in a sound that is braced for battle Most of his songs begin with slowburning instrumentals then adding little riffs and longlined melodies until they burst with urgency Fela unlike many artists who were scared to discuss their political views He was adamant and unbending He stood for his beliefs even when it was dangerous to do so Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who led the Nigerian Womens Movement His father was a protestant minister as well as the teachers union president He also established Kalakuta Republic a commune and recording studio that was a symbol of resistance The government raided Kalakuta Republic which destroyed property and injuring Fela He refused to give up however and continued to speak out against the government He died in 1997 from complications related to AIDS He was succeeded by his son Femi who continues to carry on his musical and political legacy He was a father Music is often seen by many as a political action The lyrics of musicians are used to call for change Some of the most powerful musical demonstrations are not accompanied by words Fela Kuti is one these artists and his music resonates today He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat music which combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with jazz and hiphop and was inspired by artists like James Brown Funmilayo RansomeKuti Felas maternal grandmother was a militant and unionist who was a fighter against colonialism She helped form the Abeokuta Womens Union and fought against genderdiscriminatory taxation laws She also studied Marxism and believed that Nigeria should be serving its whole population Felas son Seun is continuing his fathers legacy through a band called Egypt 80 thats touring the world this year The bands music blends the sounds and political stances of Felas era with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that persist 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 big that police were forced to shut down the entrance to the location