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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions. This is what makes him so intriguing. People who love him will forgive the parts of him that aren't perfect. His songs are usually longer than 20 minutes and are performed in a thick Pidgin English that is almost impossible to understand. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also blends 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 political, social and economic change. His influence is felt to this day. His musical style, 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 brand new genre. His political activism was ferocious and unflinching. He utilized his music as a protest against corruption in the government and human rights abuses. Songs like “Zombie”, “Coffin for the State Head” and others were shrewd criticisms of Nigeria's government. He also used Kalakuta as a platform to meet like-minded people and to promote political activism. The play includes a large portrait of his late mother Funmilayo ransome-Kuti. She was a well-known feminist and activist. Shantel Cribbs plays her, and she does a fantastic job of expressing her significance in the life of Fela. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her condition deteriorating she refused to be tested for AIDS. Instead she took traditional treatments. He was a musician Fela Ransome-Kuti was a multifaceted man who used his 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 relentless critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders. Having been raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mom It's no surprise that Fela was a fan of political and social commentary. His parents hoped that he would be a doctor however, he had other plans. While he started in a more apolitical, highlife vein, a trip to America changed his outlook forever. The music he composed was greatly influenced by his exposure to Black Power movements and the leaders like Eldridge Clever and Malcolm X. He adopted a Pan-Africanism 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 organization called the Movement of the People, and to write songs that reflected his ideas about black activism and political consciousness. His ideas were expressed publicly by yabis – a type of public speaking he called “freedom expression”. He also began to establish strict moral codes for his band, including refusing to use medication from Western-trained doctors. Fela returned to Nigeria and started building his own club in Ikeja. The snares of police and military officials was nearly constant. His hangers-on from Mosholashi-Idi-Oro repopulated the area around the club with hard drugs, including “bana” and “yamuna” (heroin). However, Fela maintained an uncompromising integrity. His music demonstrates the determination with which he challenged authority and demanded that the desires of the masses be reflected in official goals. It is a remarkable legacy that will last for generations to be. He was a poet Fela's music utilized sarcasm as well as humor to bring attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also poked fun at his audience, government, and even himself. During these shows, he referred to himself as “the big fish in the small pond.” These jokes were not viewed lightly by the authorities, and he was repeatedly detained and imprisonments, as well as beatings at the hands of the authorities. He eventually renamed himself Anikulapo, which means “he carries death in his pocket.” In 1977, Fela released a song called “Zombie” in which he compared soldiers with mindless zombies who followed orders without asking questions. The military was irritated by this and seized Kalakuta Republic. They burned the place down and beat its inhabitants. During the raid, Fela’s mother was thrown from her second-floor apartment window. In the decades following the independence of Nigeria, Fela created Afrobeat, a genre of music that combines jazz and traditional African rhythm. His songs attacked European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African religions and culture. He also criticized fellow Africans for betraying their country's tradition. 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 was influenced by rock, jazz, 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. Upon his return to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a tool for political purposes. He was critical of the government of his native country and also argued against Western sensibilities that impacted African culture. He also wrote about human rights violations and social injustices. right violations. He was arrested repeatedly for his criticism of military. Fela also openly advocated the use of marijuana, referred to as “igbo” in Africa. He also held “yabis” (public discussions) at the Afrika Shrine where he would mock government officials and express his views on the freedom of expression as well as the beauty of women's body. Fela also had an entourage of women in his youth, who danced at his shows and acted as vocal backups for him. He was a dancer Fela was a master at musical fusion. He fused elements of beat music, and highlife to create his own unique style. He influenced a generation African musicians and was a vocal critic of colonial rule. Fela refused to leave, despite being interrogated and detained by the Nigerian military junta as well as witnessing the murder of his mother. He died of complications related to AIDS in 1997. Fela was a prominent political activist who criticized the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the ideals of Pan Africanism. His albums including 1973's Gentleman focused on addressing oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also emphasized black power and decried Christianity and Islam as non-African imports that have been used to divide the people of Africa. The title track on a 1978 album, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the over-crammed public busses packed with workers “shuffering and smiling.” Fela was a strong opponent of hypocrisy in religion. His music was also complemented by his dancers who were lively sensual, regal, and sensual. fela attorneys to the performance were as significant as the words Fela used. He was an activist for the political cause. Fela Kuti was an activist who utilized music to challenge oppressive authority. He transformed his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African rhythms and modes and created a sound that was ready for a fight. Most of his songs start as simmering instrumentals, slowly layering small riffs and melodies until they explode in a flash of vigor. Fela like many artists who were afraid to discuss their political views was unflinching and uncompromising. He stood in the cause he believed in, even when it was risky. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was both a protestant minister, and the head of the teachers' union. He also established Kalakuta Republic – a recording studio and commune that was a symbol of the resistance. The government raided the commune, degrading the property and hurting Fela badly. He refused to relent, though and continued to speak out against the government. He died from complications of AIDS in 1997. He was succeeded by his son, Femi, who continues to carry on his music and political legacy. He was a father Music is often seen by many as a political action. Artists use lyrics to demand change. But some of the most effective musical protests don't use words at all. Fela Kuti is among the artists mentioned above, and his music still rings today. He was the pioneer of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with hip-hop and jazz that was being influenced by artists like James Brown. Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a militant and unionist who fought against 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 which served its the entire population. Fela's son Seun continues his father's work, with the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The band's music is a blend of the sounds and political stances of Fela's day with a fervent denial of the same power structures that persist in the present. The album, Black Times, will be released in March. A large number of fans attended the funeral in Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so large, that the police had to shut down the entrance.