Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti
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Name	Fela Kuti
Birth name	Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti
Birth date	October 15, 1938
Birth place	Abeokuta, Nigeria
Death date	August 2, 1997
Death place	Lagos, Nigeria
Occupation	Musician, Bandleader, Political activist
Instrument	Saxophone, Keyboards, Trumpet, Drums
Genre	Afrobeat, Jazz, Funk

Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, and political activist who was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, to a family of Yoruba descent, including his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a feminist and anti-colonial activist, and his father, Isaac Ransome-Kuti, a minister and educator at the Abeokuta Grammar School. He was influenced by his family's involvement in politics and music, with his brothers, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti and Beko Ransome-Kuti, also becoming prominent figures in Nigerian society. Fela Kuti's early life was shaped by his experiences at the Trinity College of Music in London, where he studied classical music and jazz with Kenny Clare and Ginger Baker.

Early Life and Education

Fela Kuti's early education took place at the Abeokuta Grammar School, where his father was a teacher, and later at the Trinity College of Music in London, where he was exposed to Western classical music and jazz by Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. He also attended the University of London, where he studied philosophy and sociology with Karl Marx and Frantz Fanon as influences. During his time in London, Fela Kuti was introduced to the Black Power movement by Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael, which had a significant impact on his political views and music career. He was also influenced by his friendships with Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, who introduced him to rock music and funk.

Music Career

Fela Kuti's music career began in the 1960s, when he formed his first band, Koola Lobitos, which played a fusion of jazz, highlife, and fuji music with E.T. Mensah and Osibisa. He later formed the Africa '70 band, which became one of the most popular and influential bands in Nigeria, with Tony Allen on drums and Barry White as an influence. Fela Kuti's music was characterized by its Afrobeat style, which combined elements of Yoruba music, jazz, and funk with James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone as influences. He released many albums, including Zombie, Expensive Shit, and Coffin for Head of State, which were critically acclaimed by John Peel and Brian Eno.

Political Views and Activism

Fela Kuti was a vocal critic of corruption and oppression in Nigeria, and his music often reflected his political views with Kwame Nkrumah and Thomas Sankara as influences. He was a supporter of Pan-Africanism and the Black Power movement, and he often incorporated elements of African culture and history into his music with Haile Selassie and Marcus Garvey as references. Fela Kuti was also a critic of neocolonialism and imperialism, and he often targeted the Nigerian government and multinational corporations in his music with Che Guevara and Fidel Castro as inspirations. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his political activism, including a 1984 arrest by the Muhammadu Buhari regime, which was condemned by Amnesty International and Nelson Mandela.

Personal Life

Fela Kuti was known for his polygamous lifestyle, and he had many wives and children with Beyoncé and Jay-Z as fans. He was also a practitioner of African spirituality and Yoruba mythology, and he often incorporated elements of these traditions into his music with Santeria and Vodou as influences. Fela Kuti's personal life was marked by controversy and turmoil, including a 1977 attack on his Kalakuta Republic compound by Nigerian soldiers, which was condemned by the United Nations and Human Rights Watch. He died in 1997 at the age of 58, due to complications from AIDS, which was a major public health issue in Nigeria at the time, with WHO and UNAIDS as responders.

Legacy and Impact

Fela Kuti's legacy is immense, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential African musicians of all time, with Youssou N'Dour and Angélique Kidjo as followers. His music has been sampled and covered by countless artists, including Gorillaz, The Roots, and Beyoncé, and he has been named as an influence by Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Fela Kuti's political activism and social commentary have also had a lasting impact on Nigerian society and African culture, with Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe as admirers. He was posthumously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and has won numerous awards, including the Kora Awards and the MTV Africa Music Awards, with Lagos State and Nigerian government as recognizers. Category:African musicians