Fela: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Fela Kuti

The life of Fela is full contradictions, which is part of what makes him captivating. People who love him forgive the flaws in him.

His songs can last up to 20 minutes, and are performed in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also includes jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with guitars and horns.

He was a musician

Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is an instrument for change. He used his music to advocate for political and social change, and his influence can be evident in the world of even today. Afrobeat is a form of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African music as well as funk. However, it has evolved into a brand new genre.

His political activism was ferocious and unflinching. He made use of his music to protest government corruption and human rights violations. Songs such as "Zombie" and "Coffin for the Head of State" were bold critiques of the Nigerian regime. He also used his residence, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded individuals.

The play features a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent activist and feminist pioneer. She is played by actress Shantel Cribbs, who successfully conveyed her significance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political activism. Despite her deteriorating health she was unable to get checked for AIDS and instead opted for traditional treatment.

He was a singer

The Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex musician who used his music to facilitate political change. He is credited as the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating hybrid of funk, dirty and traditional African rhythms. He was a vocal critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.

Fela's mother was a suffragist against colonialism So it's not surprising that he is a fan for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents wanted him to be a physician however, he had other plans.

While he began in a more apolitical highlife fashion, a trip in America changed his outlook forever. His music was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders like Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted an African-centric philosophy which would guide and inform his later work.

He was a music producer

While in the United States Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. The experience inspired him to start an activist movement known as the Movement of the People, and to compose songs that reflected his ideas on political activism and black consciousness. His philosophy was expressed publicly through yabis, a form of that he described as 'freedom expression'. He also began imposing an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained doctors.

After returning to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. Raids from police and military officials were constant. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area surrounding the club with hard drugs, especially "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela was a steadfast person regardless of this. His music is a testament to the determination with which he fought authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official goals. It is a legacy that will last for generations.

He was a poet

Fela's music used sarcasm and humor to bring attention to economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also snarkily mocked his audience, government, and even himself. In these shows, he referred to himself as "the big dick in the little pond." These jokes were not accepted lightly by the authorities, and he suffered repeated arrests, 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 recorded a song called "Zombie," which compared soldiers to zombies who were able to follow orders without hesitation. The military was offended by the song and raided Kalakuta Republic. They burned it down and beat its inhabitants. In the course of the raid, the mother of Fela was thrown from her second-floor window.

Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that following the nation's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with the indigenous African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and supported traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticized fellow Africans who violated their country's customs. He stressed the importance of human rights and freedom.

He was an artist of hip-hop.

A trumpeter, saxophonist and composer and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was inspired by rock, jazz, and roll as well as traditional African music, chants, and music. After his trip to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas influenced his work profoundly.

The music of Fela became an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticised the government of his home country, and argued against Western sensibilities that affected African culture. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations and was often detained for his criticism of the military.

Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, known as "igbo" in Africa. He held "yabis" (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine where he would mock government officials and spread his views on the freedom of expression as well as the beauty of women's bodies. Fela had Harems, an ensemble of young women who performed at his shows, and also backing his vocally.

He was a dancer

Fela was a master of musical fusion, taking elements from jazz, beat music, and highlife to create his own distinctive style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule.

Despite being snatched and tortured by the Nigerian military junta, and witnessing his mother murdered, Fela refused to leave the country. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997.

Fela was a political activist who was critical of the oppressive Nigerian government and embraced the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums, such as 1973's Gentleman focused on the oppression of both the government and colonial political parties. He also advocated black power and criticised Christianity, Islam and other non-African influences for dividing the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track of an album from 1978. It is about overcrowded public buses filled with poor workers, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce anti-religious hypocrisy. His music was also complemented by his dancers who were lively elegant, sensual, and beautiful. Their contributions to the performances were as significant as the words Fela used.

He was a militant in the political arena.

Fela Kuti used music as a weapon to challenge unjust authorities. He adapted his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African patterns and rhythms, creating music that was ready for a fight. Most of his songs start as slow instrumentals, gradually adding short-lined melodies and riffs until they explode in a flash of vigor.

Contrary to the majority of artists, who were hesitant to speak out about their politics, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood in the cause he believed in even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was an avowed feminist who was the 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 commune and recording studio that was an emblem of resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic, destroying property and severely injuring Fela. He refused to back down however and continued to protest against the government. He passed away from complications of AIDS in 1997. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to carry on his musical and political legacy.

He was a father

Music is often thought of as a political act with artists using lyrics to demand change. However, some of the most effective musical protests don't use words at all. Fela Kuti was one such artist and his music still rings out today. He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat, combining traditional African harmonies and rhythms with jazz and funk, in the style of 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 Nigeria should be serving its entire population.

Seun Fela's Son continues to carry on his father's legacy with a band named Egypt 80. The band is on tour around the world this year. The band's music blends the music and politics of Fela's era with a fervent denial of the same power structures that continue to exist today. The new album, Black Times, will be released in March. Many fans paid their respects at the funeral held in Tafawa Balewa square. fela law firm was so big, that the police had to block the entrance.