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Fela Kuti The life of Fela is full of contradictions, and that's a large part of what makes him captivating. People who love him will forgive the parts of him that aren't perfect. His songs are usually 20 minutes long or longer, and sung in a dense Pidgin English that is almost unintelligible. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also incorporates jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with guitars and horns. He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a powerful tool to influence the world. He made use of his music to push for political and social change and his influence is evident in the world of even today. His style of music, Afrobeat, is a blend of African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African music as well as funk. However it has evolved into a new genre. His political activism was fierce and frightened. He used his music as a protest against corruption by the government and human rights violations. Songs such as “Zombie”, “Coffin for the State Head” and others were blatant criticisms of Nigeria's dictatorship. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as a hub for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded people. The production features a huge portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a well-known feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. The actress who portrays her is Shantel Cribbs who has successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite her deteriorating condition, she refused to undergo tests for AIDS. Instead, she chose traditional treatments. He was a musician The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex man who employed his music to facilitate political change. He is known as the originator of afrobeat, an energetic mix of funk and traditional African rhythms. He was also a constant critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders. Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism, so it is not surprising that he is a fan for social commentary and politics. His parents had hoped that he would become a doctor, but there were other goals for him. A trip to America changed his outlook forever. The exposure to Black political movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound impact on his music. He embraced an African-centric philosophy which would inform and guide his later work. He was a writer Fela met Black Power activists such as Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X during his time in the United States. This led him to start an activist group known as the Movement of the People and compose songs that reflected the thoughts he had about activism and black awareness. His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis, a form of public speaking he called 'freedom expression'. He also began to enforce an uncompromising code of ethics for his group, which included refusing to receive medicine from Western-trained doctors. After returning to Nigeria Fela started building his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. Police and military officials were constant. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, including 'bana' and 'yamuna' (heroin). Fela kept his integrity despite this. His music demonstrates the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that popular ambitions be reflected in official goals. It is an enduring legacy that will endure for generations. He was a poet In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his fans as well as the government and himself. He also referred to himself in these shows as “the big dick in the little pond.” The authorities took his jokes lightly and he was often detained and imprisoned. He was also beat by the authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo, which translates to “he carries his body in his purse.” In 1977, Fela released a song called “Zombie” in which he compared soldiers with blind zombies who obeyed orders without asking questions. This offended the military who seized the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown from her second-floor window. Fela developed Afrobeat during the years that following Nigeria's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticised European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who sabotaged their nation's traditions. He stressed the importance of human rights and freedom. He was an artist of hip-hop. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music. He was influenced by jazz, rock, 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. The music of Fela became a political instrument after his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government in his home country and insisted that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. fela Accident Injury Lawyers wrote about societal inequities and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military. Fela was also a proponent of marijuana in Africa and is referred to as “igbo”. He often held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, also known as “yabis” which was where he would lampoon government officials and spread his beliefs on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had an harem, which was an ensemble of young women who performed at his shows as well as backed his vocally. He was a dancer Fela was a master at musical fusion. He fused elements of beat music, and highlife to create his own distinctive style. He was a prominent African musician and vocal critic of colonial rule. Fela refused, despite being detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta as well being a witness to the murder of his mother. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997. Fela was an activist in the political arena who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and embraced the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman focused on addressing oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also advocated black power and criticised Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. The title track from the album from 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the over-crammed public busses packed with workers “shuffering and smiling.” Fela was a staunch opponent of religious hypocrisy. His dancers were an excellent complement to his music. They were vivacious, sensual, and regal. Their contributions to the performance were as significant as the words of Fela. He was a militant in the political arena. Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to confront unjust authorities. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African patterns and rhythms, resulting in a sound that is braced for a fight. Most of his songs begin with slow-burning instrumentals. He layers melodies, riffs, long-lined melodies and other elements until they explode with a sense of urgency. Fela, unlike many artists who were afraid to discuss their political beliefs was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood in his convictions even when it was risky to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister and president of the teachers union. He also founded Kalakuta Republic – a recording studio and commune that grew into an emblem of the resistance. The government raided Kalakuta's Republic, destroying property and severely injured Fela. He refused to give up, however and continued to speak out against the government. He passed away from complications of AIDS in 1997. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to continue his musical and political legacy. He was a father Music is often thought of as a political act with musicians using lyrics to solicit change. But some of the most powerful music-related protests do not use words at all. 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 blends traditional African rhythms and harmony with jazz and hip-hop, being influenced by artists like James Brown. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was Fela's activist mother. She was a unionist who fought colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied marxism and believed in a Nigeria which served its entire population. Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's legacy through the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music is a blend of the sounds and politics of Fela's day with a passionate critique of the same power structures that are still in place in the present. The new album, Black Times, will be released in March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that police were forced to block the entrance to the location.