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Fela Kuti Fela's life is full of contradictions, which is part of what makes him so captivating. People who love him forgive the bad parts of him. His songs are often 20 minutes or more and are sung in a thick Pidgin English that is almost incomprehensible. His music is influenced by Christian hymns jazz, classical music Yoruba singing, and horn-andguitar heavy highlife. He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music is an instrument for change. His music was used to argue for political, social and economic reforms. His influence is still felt even today. Afrobeat is a style of music that blends African and Western influences. Its roots lie in West-African hip-life music and funk However, it has since evolved into its own genre. His political activism was fierce and fearless. He made use of his music to protest against corruption in the government and human right abuses. Songs such as “Zombie” and “Coffin for the Head of State” were bold criticisms of the Nigerian regime. He also made his home, Kalakuta Republic, as an area for political activism as well as a gathering place for like-minded individuals. The play features a huge portrait of his late mother Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a prominent feminist and activist. Shantel Cribbs portrays her, and she does an excellent job of conveying her importance in the life of Fela. The play also focuses on her political involvement. Despite her deteriorating health, she refused to get checked for AIDS and instead chose traditional treatment. He was a singer Fela Ransome Kuti was a multifaceted person who utilized music to bring about political change. He is known for creating 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. Being raised by an anti-colonial feminist mother and a feminist father, it's not a surprise that Fela had a passion for politics and social commentary. His parents hoped that he would become a doctor, but there were other goals for him. A trip to America changed his life forever. Exposure to Black political movements and leaders such as Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver had a profound effect on his music. He embraced the Pan-Africanism 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 experience led him to start an activist group known as the Movement of the People and write songs that reflected the thoughts that he held about political activism and black awareness. His ideas were expressed in public via the method of yabis, which is a form of public speaking he dubbed 'freedom of expression'. He also started to impose an ethical code of conduct on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained medical professionals. After his return to Nigeria Fela began to build his own club The Shrine in Ikeja. The police and military officials were almost all the time. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, including “bana” and “yamuna” (heroin). Fela maintained his integrity despite this. His music is a testament to his determination to challenge authority and demanding that popular ambitions are recognized in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will last for generations to come. He was a poet Fela's music employed sarcasm and humor to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also ridiculed his audience as well as the government and himself. He also referred to himself in these shows as “the big dick in the small pond.” The authorities did not take his jokes lightly and he was often detained, imprisoned, and beat by the authorities. He eventually took the name Anikulapo, meaning “he has death in his pouch.” In 1977, Fela released a song called “Zombie” in which he contrasted soldiers with mindless zombies who followed orders without asking questions. This irritated the military and they raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela's mother was thrown out of her second-floor window. In the decades following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, an genre of music that blended jazz and native African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and defended African traditional beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their country's traditions. He stressed the importance of human rights and freedom. He was a rapper A saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti 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 unique 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 impacted his work dramatically. After his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He criticized the government in his home country and insisted that African culture should not be diluted by Western sensibilities. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations, and was repeatedly arrested for his criticism of the military. Fela also advocated for the use of marijuana, referred to as “igbo” in Africa. He also held “yabis” (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine where he would ridicule government officials and express his views regarding freedom of expression and the beauty of women's body. Fela had Harems, an ensemble of young women who performed in his shows as well as backed him vocally. He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion, combining elements from beat music, and highlife to create his own distinct style. He influenced a generation of African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule. Despite being tortured and arrested by the Nigerian military junta, and witnessing his mother murdered, Fela refused to leave the country. He died in 1997 from AIDS-related complications. Fela was a political activist who was a critic of the oppressive Nigerian government and believed in 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 decried Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports for dividing the people of Africa. The title track from a 1978 album, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses filled with poor workers “shuffering and shmiling.” 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 were as significant as Fela’s words. He was an activist for the political cause. Fela Kuti was an activist who used music to challenge unjust authority. He adapts his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African rhythms and modes and created music that was ready for 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 a sense of urgency. Fela like many artists who were afraid to discuss their political beliefs was unflinching and uncompromising. fela lawsuits stood up for his beliefs even when it was dangerous to do so. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, was an avowed feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's movement. His father was both a protestant minister as well as 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 seized the commune, destroying the property and injured Fela badly. He refused to give up however and continued to voice his opinion against the government. He died 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 seen by many as a political action. Artists use lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful music demonstrations aren't accompanied by words. Fela Kuti is one of these artists and his music is heard today. He pioneered Afrobeat that combines traditional African rhythms and harmonies with funk and jazz inspired 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 Nigeria should be serving its whole population. Seun Fela's son continues to carry on his father's legacy with a group dubbed Egypt 80. The band is on tour around the world this year. The Egypt 80's music combines the sound of Fela and a scathing critique of power structures that still exist in the present. Black Times will be released at the end March. A large number of fans attended the funeral and paid their tributes at Tafawa Balewa Square. The crowd was so large that police had to block the entrance.