10 Apps That Can Help You Control Your Fela Fela Kuti

The life of Fela is full contradictions, and that's a large part of what makes him so fascinating. People who love him will forgive the bad parts of him.

His songs typically last longer than 20 minutes and are sung in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is heavily influenced by Christian hymns jazz, classical music, Yoruba chant, and horn-and-guitar heavy highlife.

He was a musician

Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be an instrument for change. He made use of his music to push for changes in the political and social spheres, and his influence is still present in the world in the present. Afrobeat is a form of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African hip-life music and funk, but it has since evolved into a distinct genre.

His political activism was ferocious, and he acted without fear. He utilized his music as a protest against government corruption and human rights abuses. Songs like "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were bold criticisms of Nigeria's dictatorship. The residence he lived in, Kalakuta Republic, as an enclave for political activism and a gathering place for people who were like-minded.

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. Shantel Cribbs plays her, and she does an excellent job of capturing the importance she played in Fela's life. The play also highlights on her political activism. Despite her declining health, she refused to undergo tests for AIDS. Instead she took traditional treatment.

He was a musician

Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who used music to effect political change. He is credited as the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating hybrid of dirty funk and traditional African rhythms. He was also a fervent critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.

Having been raised by an anti-colonial feminist mother and a feminist father, it's not a surprise that Fela had a passion for political and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become an ophthalmologist but he had different plans.

While he began in a more apolitical highlife fashion, a trip in America could alter his perspective forever. Exposure to Black political movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound influence on his music. He adopted a philosophy of Pan-Africanism, which would inform and guide his later work.

He was a writer

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 views on black and political consciousness. His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis, a form of public speaking he called "freedom expression". He also began to impose an ethical code on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained medical professionals.

After returning to Nigeria Fela began building his own club, the Shrine in Ikeja. The police and military officials were almost every day. The Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers-on who he had re the area around the club with hard drugs, especially the 'yamuna' and 'bana' (heroin). Fela kept his integrity regardless of this. His music is a testimony to his determination in challenging authority and demanding that the popular goals are recognized in official goals. It is an extraordinary legacy that will endure for generations to come.

He was a poet

In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to discuss political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also snarkily mocked his audience, the government, and even himself. He often referred to himself during these shows as "the big dick on 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 name Anikulapo which means "he carries his death in his pouch."


In fela claims , Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he contrasted soldiers with mindless zombies who followed orders without question. The military was offended by the song and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor apartment by the window.

In the decades following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combines jazz and native African rhythm. His songs criticised European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African religions and culture. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their country's customs. 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 grew up with jazz and rock and roll, as well as traditional African music and chants, which helped form his unique style of 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 an instrument of political power upon his return to Nigeria. He criticized the government of his country and also argued against Western sensibilities that affected African culture. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military.

Fela also openly advocated the use of marijuana, referred to as "igbo" in Africa. He often held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, also known as "yabis", in which he would lampoon officials of the government and share his beliefs about freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had a harem of women in his youth, who danced at his shows and served as vocal backups for his vocalists.

He was a dancer

Fela was a master at musical fusion. He combined elements of jazz, beat music, and highlife into his own unique style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule.

Fela refused to be detained and tortured by the Nigerian military junta, as well as witnessing the murder of his mother. He died from complications due to AIDS in 1997.

Fela was an activist in the political arena 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 parties. He also promoted black power and criticised Christianity and Islam as non-African imports that have been used to divide the people of Africa. Shuffering and Smiling is the title track from an album from 1978. It is about overcrowded public buses full of poor workers, "shuffering and smiling". Fela was a fierce enemy of religious hypocrisy. Fela's dancers were also an excellent complement to his music. They were sensual, vibrant, and regal. Their contributions to the performances were as important as Fela's words.

He was a political activist

Fela Kuti utilized music as a way to challenge unjust authorities. He steered his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African styles and rhythms, resulting in an edgy sound that was prepared for a fight. Most of his songs begin as slow instrumentals, gradually layering little riffs and long-lined melodies until they explode with a ferocious vigor.

Unlike many artists, who were hesitant to publicly discuss their political views, Fela was fearless and uncompromising. He stood in the cause he believed in, even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a prominent feminist who led the Nigerian Women's movement. His father was a protestant minister, and the president of the teachers union.

He also established Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was a symbol of resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic and destroyed property, as well as injured Fela. He refused to back down however and continued to voice his opinion against the government. He passed away in 1997 due to complications related to AIDS. 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 form of political protest, with musicians using lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful music demonstrations 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 harmonies with jazz and hip-hop and was 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 the idea of a Nigeria that was serving 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 music and politics of Fela's era with a searing denunciation of the same power structures that continue to exist today. Black Times will be released at the end of March. Many fans attended the funeral and paid their respects in Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so huge that police were forced to shut down the entrance to the location.