The invention of Afrobeats can be said to be the begining of joyful race among african musician, dancers and every blacks in the art world. this is because it makes it easy for the blacks to express themselves in their own way by the use of both their musical percussions and dance in combination of the western race (white music instruments), which produce beautiful melodies to tell their stories to themselves and make the rest of the world to see the beauty in african music. how ever music is vocal or instrumental sounds which can both be combined to produce a beautiful form, melodies, harmony to expresses feelings, emotions etc. so many people believe that music is life itself because it as been a tool or medication to cure depression. Talking about afro beats without discussing about the inventor or initiator might make afro beats education totally not acceptable.
FELA EARLY AGE
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome kuti 15 October 1938 - 2 August 1997), is also know as Abami Eda (The strange creature), was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. he is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeats, an African music genre that combines traditional percussions and vocal style with American funk Jazz. His mother, Fumilayo Ransome kuti, was a feminist activist and an anti colonialist who became the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria. his father Oludotun Isreal, was a minister in anglican church and the first president in the 'Nigeria Union of Teachers.' he had two brothers Beko and Olikoye and one sister Dolu Ransome Kuti. His ccousine, Wole Soyinka, was a writer who became the first African to win the 'Noble Price for Literature.' After completing high school he got a job as a clerk at the 'Federal Ministry of Commerce' before been sent to London to study medicine.
FELA MUSICAL CAREER
Fela was sent to London to study Medicine but decided to switch to learn what he got passion for which is Music enrollimng in the 'Trinity college of Music', London. Fela formed his first band, 'Koola Lobitos', while still in college. After moving back to Nigeria in 1963, he re-formed the band, trained as a radio producer, and worked with trumpeter Victor Olaiya. He first came up with Afrobeatduring a trip to Ghana in 1967. The trip was undertaken to help him think of a new musical direction. In 1969, Fela and His assciate embarked on a 10-month trip to US, where he met Sandraa Izsadore, a 'Blank Panther' activist who introduced him to the politics of Malcolm X and other 'Black Power' advocates. During this period he also renamed his band Nigeria '70'. after running into trouble with the US immigration authorities, Fela Kuti returned to Nigeria, where he again changed the band name to 'Afrika 70'. Fela kuti have 7 children from different wives which 2 of them, Femi Anikulapo Kuti and Seun Anikulapo Kuti have be nominated in the Grammy awards various time.... After returning to Nigeria Fela see his Afrobeat music as a tool and weapon to focus more on the socio-political issues, instead of exclusively romantic concerns, which make him more popular even accross Africa. in 1977, he, along with the 'Afrika '70', released 'Zombie', a politically charged piece that decried the method of the Nigeria Military. Although exceedenly popular with the public, this albulm invited swift and terrible backlash from the government, which sent 1000 soldiers to attack the 'kalakuta republic', destroyed his property injured kuti, and threw his mother from the window. His mother later succumed to her injuries, prompting Fela Kuti to deliver her coffin to a Nigeria general's residence and composing more songs to cricise them. few among Fela kuti's songs are 'sorrow tears and blood, Expensive shit, Original sufferhead, Water no get enemy etc'.
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TRIVIA
Fela's performances were especially notable for wildness: he gyrated frequently over the keyboard, wearing nothing but bikini briefs. After falling out with his saxophonist, he vowed to teach himself how to play the instrument in 24hours, and after 17 hours of practice, appeard on stage to perform a number of saxophone solos perfectly. Fela and his wives dress in a way to tell Africans not to forget who they use to be and how civilization have been making them forget their traditional ways. Some of his Afrobeat instrument includes, Saxophones, Trumpets, Bass guilter, congas drums, Hammond orgam, keyboard, percussions, shekera, agogo, vocals.
AFROBEATS TODAY
Nearly 45 years today after Fela Kuti debut albulm Zombie, the album that gave the world a new genre, Afrobeat, a new generation of proteges from Africa now has many music lovers around the world addicted to Afrobeats. all thanks to digital world where almost everything including music album launches takes place on a mobile phone. for kuti, building cult-like followership for afrobeat meant tapping into unspoken, visceral spirit of audience through his lyrics and deeply interactive songs. how ever today, afrobeats sound are not only breaking the ceiling on streaming services, gathering followers on social media platforms like tiktok, instagram, etc, but it is also getthing all the love from international music artistes. all thanks to Fela Anikulapo Kuti who suffered and paved way for afrobeats and african musician. Big love from me to every hiver who took their time to enjoy this ♥️♥️..
Click to watch Fela kuti performance:
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