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15 Best Fela Bloggers You Must Follow
Fela Kuti

Fela is a man with contradictions. That's what makes him so intriguing. People who love him accept the parts of him that aren't perfect.

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

He was a musician

Fela Kuti embodied that music can be a tool to change the world. His music was used to argue for political, social and economic reforms. His influence can be felt to this day. His style of music, Afrobeat, is a combination 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 he took action without fear. He made use of his music to protest government corruption and human rights violations. Songs like "Zombie", "Coffin for the State Head" and others were bold critiques of Nigeria's regime. 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, who was a prominent activist and feminist pioneer. Shantel Cribbs portrays her, and she does a great job of capturing the importance she played in Fela's life. The play also explores her political activism. Despite her declining health she refused to undergo tests for AIDS. Instead, she chose traditional treatments.

He was a singer

Fela Ransome Kuti was a complex person who utilized music to bring about political change. He is credited with being the originator of afrobeat, an invigorating blend of funk, dirty and traditional African rhythms. He was also a constant critic of Nigeria's governmental and religious leaders.

Having been raised by an anti-colonial suffragist mom, it is no surprise that Fela had a passion for political and social commentary. His parents wanted him to become a physician but he had different plans.

A trip to America changed his life forever. The exposure to Black political movements and leaders like Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver would have a profound impact on his music. He adopted an African-centric philosophy that would influence and guide his later work.

He was a writer.

Fela was introduced to Black Power activists like Stokely Carmichael, and Malcolm X during his time in the United States. The experience inspired him to create an organization called the Movement of the People and compose songs that reflected the thoughts he had about political activism and black awareness. His philosophies were publicly expressed through yabis - a form that he described as "freedom expression". He also began imposing an ethical code of conduct on his band. This included refusing to take medication from Western-trained doctors.


Fela returned to Nigeria and began building his own club in Ikeja. The snares of officers and police were almost constant. His Mosholashi-Idi Oro hangers were able to repopulate the area around the club with drugs of all kinds particularly "bana" and "yamuna" (heroin). Fela was a steadfast person regardless of this. His music speaks to his determination to challenge authority and ensuring that the desires of the masses are recognized in official goals. It is an influence that will last for generations.

He was a poet

In his music, Fela used light-hearted sarcasm to draw attention to political and economic issues in Nigeria. He also mocked his audience, the government, and himself. In these shows, he would refer to himself as "the big dick in the little pond." These jokes were not taken lightly by the authorities and he was frequently arrested and imprisonments, as well as beatings at the hands of authorities. He was eventually given the title Anikulapo, which translates to "he is carrying his body in his purse."

In 1977, Fela released a song called "Zombie" in which he compared soldiers to mindless zombies who followed orders without asking questions. This irritated the military who seized the Kalakuta Republic, burning it down and beating its occupants. During the raid, her mother was thrown from her second-floor window.

Fela developed Afrobeat in the years that following the country's independence. Afrobeat is a music genre that blends jazz with the indigenous African rhythm. His songs criticized European cultural imperialism and defended traditional African traditions and religions. He also criticised fellow Africans for disrespecting their country's tradition. He emphasized the importance of freedom and human rights.

He was an artist of hip-hop.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter and saxophonist was born in Abeokuta in 1938. He is a pioneer in Afrobeat music. He was influenced by jazz, rock 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 were influential in his work.

Fela's music was a political instrument upon his return to Nigeria. He criticised the government of his country and also argued against Western sensibilities affecting African culture. fela claims railroad employees wrote about human rights violations and social injustices. rights abuses. He was repeatedly detained for his criticism of the military.

Fela was also a proponent of marijuana in Africa that is also known as "igbo". He frequently held public discussions at Afrika Shrine, also known as "yabis", in which he would slam government officials and spread his views on freedom of expression and the beauty of women's bodies. Fela also had a harem of young women, who performed in his shows and also served as vocal backups for him.

He was a dancer

Fela was a master of musical fusion, taking elements from beat music and highlife to create his own distinct style. He was a prominent African musician and a vocal critic of colonial rule.

Despite being arrested and tortured by the Nigerian military junta and witnessing his mother be killed, 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 embraced the principles of Pan Africanism. His albums including 1973's Gentleman focused on fighting oppression from both colonial and government parties. He also pushed for black-power and criticised Christianity, Islam and other non-African imports that divide the people of Africa. The title track from the album from 1978, Shuffering and Shmiling, describes the overcrowded public buses full of poor people "shuffering and smiling." Fela was a staunch opponent of religious hypocrisy. The music of Fela was enhanced by his dancers, who were lively sensual, regal, and sensual. Their contributions were as significant as Fela's words.

He was a political activist

Fela Kuti used music as a weapon to challenge oppressive authorities. He took his knowledge of American jazz and funk towards African patterns and rhythms, creating music that is ready for a fight. The majority of his songs begin with slow-burning instrumentals, then adding small riffs and melodies until they burst with urgency.

Contrary to the majority of artists, who were afraid to expose their political beliefs, Fela was fearless and unbending. He stood up for his beliefs even when it was risky to do so. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist who led the Nigerian Women's Movement. His father was a protestant minister as well as the teacher's union president.

He also established Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that was an emblem of resistance. The government seized the commune, degrading the property and hurting Fela severely. He refused to give up however, and continued to voice his opinion against the government. He passed away in 1997 of complications caused by AIDS. His son Femi continues to carry on his legacy of music and politics.

He was a father

Music is often seen by many as a form of political protest. Musicians use lyrics to demand change. Some of the most powerful music performances are not accompanied by words. Fela Kuti was one of them, and his music is still ringing out to this day. He was the first to pioneer Afrobeat music, which blends traditional African rhythms and harmonies with jazz and hip-hop that was being influenced by artists like James Brown.

Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a militant and unionist who was a fighter against colonialism. She helped form the Abeokuta Women's Union and fought against gender-discriminatory taxation laws. She also studied marxism and believed in a Nigeria which served its the entire population.

Seun, Fela's Son, continues to carry on his father's legacy with the band Egypt 80. The band is on tour around the world this year. The Egyptian 80's music blends the sounds of Fela and a scathing critique of power structures that still exist today. Black Times will be released at the end March. Many fans attended the funeral in Tafawa Balewa square. The crowd was so big that police had to block the entrance.