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Fela Ransome-KutiFela, politician and musician who was also a pan-Africanist. He was a defender of African culture and was inspired by Black Power. He travelled to Ghana where he discovered new musical influences and a new direction for his music.He composed songs designed to be political slams against the Nigerian government and a world order that routinely exploited Africa. His music was uncompromisingly revolutionary.Fela Ransome Kuti was born AbeokutaIn the 1970s and the 1980s, Fela Ransome-Kuti became known for his harsh style of music and his abrasive political statements. Many of his songs were direct criticisms of the Nigerian government and the military dictatorships that were in power in those days. He also criticized his fellow Africans for supporting dictatorships. Fela's rebellion against oppressive governments cost him dearly. He was beaten, arrested and even jailed several times. In fact, he once called himself "a prisoner of the Kalakuta Republic." He also created his own political party known as the Movement for the Advancement of the People or MOP.Fela's mother was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti known as a well-known feminist leader and women's rights activist. She was a member of the Abeokuta Women's Union and worked as an educator. She also assisted in organising the first preschool classes of Abeokuta. She was a suffragist and was active in the Nigerian independence movement. She was a close cousin of the writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.Ransome-Kuti was an avid advocate of Pan-Africanism and socialism. She argued for the preservation of traditional African practices and religions and was a strong opponent of European cultural imperialism. Ransome-Kuti was influenced Malcolm X, Eldridge Clever and the Black Power Movement. She was also a part of the African Renaissance movement.Despite his aversion to Western culture and the oppressive Nigerian government, Fela was able to attract a large following worldwide with his music. His music was a mix of Afrobeats, jazz, and rock, heavily inspired by American jazz clubs. He was a fierce anti-racism activist.Fela's protests in Nigeria against the ruling party led to numerous arrests and beatings. This did not stop him from touring the United States and Europe. In 1984, he was again snubbed by the military and was detained on dubious charges of currency smuggling. International human rights groups intervened following the incident and the government was forced to back down. However, Kuti continued to record and perform until his death in 1997. He was buried in the Kalakuta Cemetery in Abeokuta. The city is now home to the Fela Museum.He was a musicianA passionate Pan-Africanist, Fela was adamant about using his music as a means of social protest. Using his funk-driven Afrobeat style, he criticized the Nigerian government while inspiring activists around the world. Fela was a Nigerian born in Abeokuta in 1938. He was the son of Funmilayo Runsome-Kuti who was a fervent anticolonialist and leader of the Nigerian women's movement. His mother, like his grandparents, was a physician who was an anti-colonialist. Fela was taught to fight for the rights of oppressed people and that became his passion in life.Fela began his career as a musician in 1958 after he dropped out of medical school to pursue his passion for music. He began playing highlife music, which is a popular genre that fuses African rhythms and Western instruments with jazz. He formed his first group in London and was able to perfect his skills in the capital of music of Europe. When he returned to Nigeria, he developed Afrobeat that combines lyrics written in agit-prop with danceable beats. The new style was adopted by Africans and Nigerians across the continent. It was one of the most influential styles in African music.In the 1970s, Fela's political activism placed him in direct conflict with Nigerian military regimes. The regime feared that his music would inspire people to fight against their oppressors, and challenge the status quo. Despite numerous attempts to disarm him, Fela continued to make powerful and incredibly danceable music until the end of his life. He died of complications arising from AIDS in 1997.While Fela was alive, crowds of people were always in line to see him perform at his nightclub in Lagos known as Afrika Shrine. He also built the Kalakuta republic which was a commune that served as his recording studio and club. The commune was also used as a venue for political speeches. Fela often critiqued the Nigerian government and world leaders, including U.S. President Ronald Reagan, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha.Despite his death from complications related to AIDS, his legacy lives on. His revolutionary Afrobeat style continues to influence popular artists, including Beyonce, Wyclef Jean, and Jay Z, who have cited him as an inspiration. He was a mysterious person who loved music women, women, and a good time however his real legacy is in his unwavering efforts to fight for the marginalized.He was a Pan-AfricanistThe renowned Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was a Pan-Africanist, bringing his unique musical style to the cause of the people. A master at blending elements from African culture with American jazz and funk as well, he also utilized his music to criticize the oppressive Nigerian government. He continued to speak out and stand up for his beliefs even though he was often beaten and arrested.Fela was born into the Ransome-Kuti clan that included artists and anti-colonialists. His mother Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a feminist and educator and his father, Israel Oludotun Ransome Kuti helped form the teachers' union. He was a singer and listened to the traditional songs and beats of highlife - an amalgamation of jazz standards, soul songs and Ghanaian hymns. His worldview was shaped by this musical legacy. He was determined to bring Africa and the world together.In 1977, Fela released Zombie, a song that likened the police to a mindless horde that will follow any command, and then savagely attack the public. The song angered the military authorities, who seized the home of Fela and took over his compound. They beat everyone, including Fela's women and children. His mother was thrown out of the window and died of injuries sustained in the next year's attack.The invasion fueled the anti-government activism of Fela. He founded a commune known as the Kalakuta Republic. It also was a studio used for recording. fela claims railroad employees founded a party and separated from the Nigerian government, and his songs started to focus more on social issues. In 1979, he walked his mother's coffin to the ruling junta's headquarters in Lagos and was arrested for his actions.Fela was a warrior who was fearless and never gave in to the status quo. He was aware that he was fighting against a power that was unjust and inefficient, and yet he refused to give up. He was the epitomization of an indefatigable spirit, and in this way he was truly hero. He was a man who stood up to the odds and changed the course history. His legacy lives on to this day.He passed away in 1997.The death of Fela has been a crushing loss to his fans around the world. He was 58 when he passed away and his funeral was attended by a large number of people. The family of the deceased said that the cause of death was heart failure caused by AIDS.Fela was a pivotal person in the creation of Afrobeat, a style of music that blended traditional Yoruba rhythms with jazz and American funk. His political activism led him to be detained and beaten by Nigerian police. He refused to be silenced. He urged others to stand up against the corrupt rule of the Nigerian military regime and advocated Africanism. Fela was also a major influence on the Black Power movement in the United States, which inspired him to fight for Africa.In his later years, Fela suffered from skin swelling and weight loss that was dramatic. These symptoms indicated he was suffering from AIDS. He refused treatment and denied that he had AIDS. Eventually, he succumbed. Fela Kuti's legacy will be carried for generations to come.Kuti's songs are an eloquent declaration of political opinions that challenges the status-quo. He was a revolutionary who wanted to change the way that Africans were treated. He utilized his music as a method of social protest and was a fighter against colonialism. His music was influential in changing the lives of a lot of Africans and his name will be remembered for his contributions.Fela collaborated with numerous producers throughout his career to develop his distinctive sound. Some of these producers included EMI producer Jeff Jarratt, British dub master Dennis Bovell and keyboardist Wally Badarou. His music was a mix of traditional African beats, American funk, and jazz, which gave him an international fan base. He was a controversial figure in the music business and was often critical about Western culture.Fela is well-known for his controversial music, and his lifestyle. He smoked marijuana in public and had numerous affairs with women. He was an activist who fought for the rights the poor in Nigeria despite his outrageous lifestyle. His music had a profound impact on Africans' lives and encouraged them to embrace their culture.