Berlin 1979. The man in the middle of the stage is Fela Kuti.
Singer, saxophonist, bandmast or politician, he has done it all and has revolutionised the world of music.
He is known to have played an important role in the creation of Afrobeat and was very influential in the Nigerian political scene during that time.
Fela Kuti was born in 1938 in the town of Abeokuta, 90km north of Lagos. His mom was a pioneering feminist in the country and influenced him a lot in his political ideas while his dad was the principal of one of the schools in the city, and introduced him to piano.
Fela’s career started in the mid 60s when he created his first band, “Fela Kuti and the Koola Lobitos” playing what he refers to as “Highlife Jazz”. Here’s a very famous Highlife artist, Ebo Taylor:
Welcome into the archives: Fela Kuti
written by Lou Touyarou
Highlife is a music genre that originated in Ghana in the 20s and spread to countries in the region like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and other countries in West Africa. It is characterized by jazzy melodies and multiple guitars.
The band became very popular in the Lagos scene and in 1969, Fela Kuti and his band “Nigeria 70” toured in the US.
During his trip, he met Sandra Izsadore, a Black Panthers’ activist who initiated him to thinkers as Angela Davis or Malcolm X. This encounter largely influences him in his political ideas as well as the political ideas that he wants to share through his music. From that moment on, his music gets further away from Jazz and gets closer to what we now know as Afrobeat. His lyrics get more political and Fela Kuti understands the power of music as a tool to share his ideas.
During his trip, he met Sandra Izsadore, a Black Panthers’ activist who initiated him to thinkers as Angela Davis or Malcolm X. This encounter largely influences him in his political ideas as well as the political ideas that he wants to share through his music. From that moment on, his music gets further away from Jazz and gets closer to what we now know as Afrobeat. His lyrics get more political and Fela Kuti understands the power of music as a tool to share his ideas.
(I really recommend reading the text on the video, there is some important information about the impact of the song and the overall context of the time)
After being opened and closed a couple of times, Kuti also brings back to life the “Africa Shrine”, a space where nightlife, politics and culture could coexist. The political elite at the head of the country is not very fond of the messages shared through Kuti’s music and sends the police to his house for the first time in the early 70s and is arrested (he is released few days later). At that moment, he decides to declare his house as independent and name it “Kalakuta Republic”. This is a time where Fela Kuti’s influence is rising, the Shrine was full every night and the logo of the band can be found all across the city.
To briefly put a bit of context, Nigeria in the 70s experienced an oil boom which increased corruption, deepened the gap between the elites and the lower class, and eventually saw the military taking the lead of the country. Kuti’s songs that openly criticized this military power, and that was calling for a return to the roots and identity resonated with many Nigerians that were feeling left aside.
As the artist’s music continues to openly criticize the corrupt elite at the head of the country, a thousand soldiers enter Kalakuta and raze it to the ground. The assault is extremely brutal, Fela is beaten and arrested, while many of the residents are beaten and raped.
Fela Kuti continued having a very violent relationship with the police until he died in 1997. That never stopped him however, from creating music and openly denouncing the corrupt and violent military power at the head of the country.
After being opened and closed a couple of times, Kuti also brings back to life the “Africa Shrine”, a space where nightlife, politics and culture could coexist. The political elite at the head of the country is not very fond of the messages shared through Kuti’s music and sends the police to his house for the first time in the early 70s and is arrested (he is released few days later). At that moment, he decides to declare his house as independent and name it “Kalakuta Republic”. This is a time where Fela Kuti’s influence is rising, the Shrine was full every night and the logo of the band can be found all across the city.
To briefly put a bit of context, Nigeria in the 70s experienced an oil boom which increased corruption, deepened the gap between the elites and the lower class, and eventually saw the military taking the lead of the country. Kuti’s songs that openly criticized this military power, and that was calling for a return to the roots and identity resonated with many Nigerians that were feeling left aside.
As the artist’s music continues to openly criticize the corrupt elite at the head of the country, a thousand soldiers enter Kalakuta and raze it to the ground. The assault is extremely brutal, Fela is beaten and arrested, while many of the residents are beaten and raped.
Fela Kuti continued having a very violent relationship with the police until he died in 1997. That never stopped him however, from creating music and openly denouncing the corrupt and violent military power at the head of the country.