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Fela Kuti Fela is a man with contradictions. This is what makes him so intriguing. People who love him forgive the parts of him that aren't perfect. His songs often run for longer than 20 minutes and are sung in dense, almost unintelligible Pidgin English. His music is influenced by Christian hymns and classical music. He also includes jazz, Yoruba, and highlife with horns and guitars. He was a musician Fela Kuti embodied the idea that music can be an instrument of change. He made use of his music to push for changes in the political and social spheres, and his influence is still felt in the world even today. Afrobeat is a form of music that combines African and Western influences. Its roots are in West-African high-life and funk, but it has since evolved into its own style. His political activism was intense and he took action without fear. He utilized his music as a protest against corruption in the government and human right abuses. Songs like “Zombie”, “Coffin for the State Head” and others were shrewd criticisms of Nigeria's dictatorship. The residence he lived in, Kalakuta Republic, as an area for political activism and an area for gathering with like-minded people. The play includes a large portrait of his late mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was a prominent feminist activist and pioneer of the feminist movement. Shantel Cribbs portrays her and she does an excellent job of capturing the importance she played in the life of Fela. The play also explores on her political involvement. Despite her deteriorating health she refused to be tested for AIDS and instead opted for traditional medicine. He was a musician Fela Ransome-Kuti was a multifaceted man who employed his music as a tool for political change. He is famous for his work on Afrobeat, which is a blend of dirty funk with traditional African rhythms. He was a fervent critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders. Fela's mother was an anti-colonial suffragist, so it is not unusual that he has a passion for political commentaries and social commentary. His parents hoped that he would become a doctor, but he had other ideas. While he initially sounded in a more political highlife style, a trip to America changed his outlook forever. The exposure to Black political movements and leaders such as Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver had a profound effect on his music. He adopted a Pan-Africanism ethos that would influence 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. This led him to create a political group called the Movement of the People and write songs that expressed the ideas he had about political activism and black awareness. His philosophical ideas were aired in public via the way of yabis, a form of public speaking that was referred to as 'freedom of expression'. He also started to impose an ethical code of conduct on his band. This included refusing to accept prescriptions from Western-trained physicians. Fela returned to Nigeria and started building his own club in Ikeja. Raids from police and military officials were every day. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers repopulated the area surrounding the club with drugs of all kinds particularly “bana” and “yamuna” (heroin). Despite this Fela kept his integrity unshaken. 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 objectives. It is an amazing legacy that will endure for generations to come. He was a poet In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to highlight economic and political issues in Nigeria. He also snarkily mocked his audience, the government, and even himself. In these shows, he would refer to himself as “the big dick in the little pond.” These jokes were not viewed lightly by the authorities, and he was repeatedly detained and beatings in the hands of authorities. He was eventually given the name Anikulapo which means “he is carrying his death in his pouch.” In 1977, Fela recorded a song called “Zombie,” which compared soldiers to zombies who obeyed orders without hesitation. This irritated the military, which raided the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. In the course of the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from her second-floor window. Fela developed Afrobeat in the decades that after the country's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that combines jazz with indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism, and he favored traditional African beliefs and cultures. He also criticized fellow Africans who betrayed their country's traditions. He also stressed the importance of freedom and human rights. He was an artist of hip-hop. A trumpeter, saxophonist, composer, and pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was heavily influenced by jazz, rock, and roll as well as traditional African music, chants and music. After an excursion to the United States in 1969, Fela met Sandra Smith, an activist from the Black Power movement and her ideas influenced his work dramatically. When he returned to Nigeria, Fela began using his music as a political tool. He criticised the government of his native country and argued against Western sensibilities that impacted African culture. He also wrote about societal injustices and human rights violations and was frequently detained for his criticism of the military. Fela also sporadically advocated for the use of marijuana, also known as “igbo” in Africa. He also held “yabis” (public discussions) at 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 also had a group of young women, who danced at his shows and acted as vocal backups to his vocalists. He was a dancer Fela was a master of musical fusion. He incorporated elements from beat music, and highlife to create his own unique style. He influenced a generation African musicians and was an outspoken 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 in 1997 from AIDS-related complications. Fela was a prominent political activist who opposed the oppressive Nigerian Government and endorsed the principles Pan Africanism. His albums, including 1973's Gentleman focused on fighting oppression from both government bodies and colonial parties. He also pushed for black power and decried Christianity and Islam as non-African imports, which have been used to divide the people of Africa. The title track from a 1978 album, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses full of poor people “shuffering and smiling.” Fela was a strong opponent of hypocrisy in religion. Fela's music was in turn complemented by his dancers, who were lively elegant, sensual, and beautiful. Their contributions were just as important as Fela's words. He was a militant in the political arena. Fela Kuti utilized music as a weapon to challenge oppressive authorities. He adapted his knowledge of American jazz and funk to African rhythms and modes, creating music that was ready for a fight. Most of his songs start as simmering instrumentals, slowly adding little riffs and long-lined melodies until they burst with urgency. In contrast to many artists who were hesitant to expose their political beliefs, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood up for what he believed in, even when it was risky. His mother, Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti was a fervent feminist who was the leader of the Nigerian Women's movement. His father was a protestant minister as well as the president of the teachers union. He also founded Kalakuta Republic – a recording studio and commune that grew into a symbol of the resistance. The government raided the Kalakuta Republic and destroyed property, as well as injuring Fela. He refused to give up and continued to speak against the government. fela lawyer died 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 seen by many as a form of political protest. The lyrics of musicians are used to demand change. But some of the most powerful music-related protests don't rely on words at all. Fela Kuti is one the artists mentioned above, and his music still rings today. He was the founder of Afrobeat music, which combines traditional African rhythms and harmony with hip-hop and jazz and was inspired by artists like James Brown. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela's maternal grandmother was a militant and unionist who stood up against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied Marxism and believed Nigeria should serve its whole population. Fela's son Seun is continuing his father's legacy, through the band Egypt 80 that's touring the world this year. The Egyptian 80's music blends the sound of Fela and a scathing critique of power structures that still exist in the present. Black Times will be released by the end of March. A large number of fans gathered to pay their respects at the funeral at Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so huge that police had to block the entrance.