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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions. That's what makes him so intriguing. People who love him accept the parts of him that aren't perfect. His songs are usually 20 minutes or more and are performed in a slurred Pidgin English that is almost unintelligible. His music is influenced primarily by Christian hymns and classical music. He also incorporates jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with horns and guitars. He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be an instrument for change. His music was used to call for social, political and economic reforms. His influence is still felt to this day. Afrobeat is a style of music that blends African and Western influences. Its origins lie in West-African high-life music and funk, but it has since developed into its own style. His political activism was fierce and frightened. He made use of his music to protest against corruption in the government and human rights violations. Songs like “Zombie” and “Coffin for the Head of State” were bold criticisms of the Nigerian regime. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism as well as an area for gathering with like-minded individuals. The play includes a large portrait of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent feminist activist and feminist pioneer. She is portrayed by actress Shantel Cribbs, who successfully depicted her importance in the life of Fela. The play also explores on her political activism. Despite her declining health she was unable to get checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional medicine. He was a singer Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who utilized music to bring about political change. He is famous for his work on Afrobeat, which is a blend of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was also a fervent critic of Nigeria's political and religious leaders. His mother was a suffragist against colonialism So it's not surprising that he has a passion for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become an ophthalmologist however, he had other plans. A trip to America changed his life forever. His music was profoundly affected by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leadership such as Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted an African-centric philosophy which would guide and inform his later work. He was a writer While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. This led him to start a political group called the Movement of the People and create songs that reflected the thoughts he had about political activism and black awareness. His philosophies were publicly expressed by yabis – a type of that he described as “freedom expression”. He also began to impose an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to accept prescriptions from Western-trained medical professionals. After returning to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club The Shrine in Ikeja. The police and military officials were all the time. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area around the club with hard drugs, including 'bana' and 'yamuna' (heroin). Fela was a steadfast person in spite of this. His music demonstrates the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that the popular will be reflected in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will be remembered for generations to be. He was a poet Fela's music utilized sarcasm as well as humor to bring attention to economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also poked fun at his audience, the government, and even himself. During these shows, he would refer to himself as “the big fish in the small pond.” These jokes were not viewed lightly by the authorities, and he was repeatedly detained, imprisonments and beatings at the hands of authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo which means “he has his body in his purse.” In 1977, Fela released a song called “Zombie” in which he contrasted soldiers with blind zombies who obeyed orders without asking questions. The military was irritated by this and raided Kalakuta Republic. They burned it down and beat its residents. In the course of the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor window. In the years following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combined jazz and traditional African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism, and he favored traditional African beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their country's traditions. He emphasized the importance of human rights and freedom. He was a rapper Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer of Afrobeat music. He was heavily influenced by rock, jazz, and roll and also traditional African music, 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 influenced his work. Upon his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a tool for political purposes. He criticized the government of his home country and argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture. He also wrote about social injustices and human rights abuses and was often detained for his criticism of the military. Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, also known as “igbo” in Africa. He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, which he referred to as “yabis” which was where he would lampoon government officials and spread his beliefs about freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had an harem, which was a group of young women who performed in his shows and backing him vocally. He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion. fela claims railroad employees combined elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife into his own distinctive style. He was a leading African musician and vocal critic of colonial rule. Fela refused to leave, despite being detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as having witnessed the murder of his mother. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications. Fela was a political activist who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and supported the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both the government and colonial political parties. He also promoted black-power and criticised Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. The title track on an album released in 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the over-crowded public buses filled with poor workers “shuffering and smiling.” Fela was a staunch opponent of religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was enhanced by his dancers who were lively elegant, sensual, and beautiful. Their contributions to the performance were as important as the words Fela used. He was a political militant Fela Kuti was an activist who used music to challenge the unjust authority. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for a fight. The majority of his songs start as slow-burning instrumentals. He layers little riffs, long-lined melody lines and other elements until they explode with urgency. Fela like many artists who were afraid to discuss their political beliefs, was fearless and unbending. He stood in his convictions even when it was dangerous to do so. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a fervent feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's movement. His father was a protestant minister, and the president of the teachers union. He also established Kalakuta Republic – a recording studio and commune that grew into an emblem of the resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic, destroying property and severely injured Fela. He refused to back down 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 viewed by many as a political act. Musicians use lyrics to call for change. Some of the most powerful music performances are not performed with words. Fela Kuti is one the artists mentioned above and his music rings today. He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hip-hop that was being influenced by artists like James Brown. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela's maternal grandmother, was an activist and unionist who stood up against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied Marxism and believed that Nigeria should be serving its entire population. Seun, Fela's Son, continues to carry the legacy of his father through the band Egypt 80. The band will be touring the globe this year. The band's music is a blend of the sounds and political stances of Fela's time with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that are still in place today. Black Times will be released by the end of March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so big that police had to shut off the entrance to the venue.