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Fela Ransome-Kuti Fela, a musician and political activist was also a Pan-Africanist. He was a proponent of African culture and was inspired by Black Power. He traveled to Ghana where he encountered new music influences and a new direction for his music. He composed songs that were intended as political attacks against the Nigerian government and a global order that was systematically exploiting Africa. His music was adamantly radical. Fela Ransome Kuti was born Abeokuta Fela ransome-Kuti was known in the 1970s and 1980s for his agitated political views and abrasive music. Many of his songs were direct slams against the Nigerian government, particularly the military dictatorships that ruled the country in the 1970s and 1980s. He also criticized his fellow Africans for supporting these dictatorships. Fela's rebellion against oppressive governments cost him dearly. He was arrested, beaten and even jailed a number of times. He once referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Kalakuta Republic” and founded his own political organization known as the Movement for the Advancement of the People (MOP). Fela's mother was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who was a globally recognized feminist leader and women's rights activist. She was a teacher and was a member of the Abeokuta Women's Union. She also helped organize some of the first preschool classes in Abeokuta. She was a suffragist and active in the Nigerian Independence Movement. She was a close relative to writer and Nobel laureate Wole SOYINKA. Ransome-Kuti was an avid supporter of Pan-Africanism and socialism. She argued for the preservation of traditional African practices and religions, and she opposed European cultural imperialism. Ransome-Kuti was inspired by the Black Power movement and the works of Malcolm X and Eldridge Cleaver. She was a member of the African Renaissance Movement. The music of Fela was able, even in the face of opposition to the oppressive Nigerian Government and Western culture, to earn an international following. His music incorporated elements from Afrobeat and rock jazz, and was heavily influenced by the beats of American jazz clubs. He was also a fervent anti-racist. Fela's rebelliousness against the Nigerian government led to numerous arrests and beatings. This did not stop him from traveling the United States and Europe. In 1984, he was once again attacked by the military government and was detained on dubious charges of smuggling currency. The incident prompted international human rights groups to intervene and the government to back down. Nevertheless, Kuti continued to record and perform until his death in 1997. He was buried in the Kalakuta Cemetery, Abeokuta. The city is now home to the Fela Museum. He was a musician A passionate Pan-Africanist Fela was committed to using his music as a method of social protest. He was a critic of the Nigerian Government while inspiring activists from all over the world. Fela was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was the son of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, a fierce anticolonialist and leader of the Nigerian women's movement. His mother, like his grandparents, was a physician who was an anti-colonialist. Fela was raised to fight for the rights of the oppressed, and that became his passion in life. Fela began his career as a musician in the year 1958 after he dropped out of medical school to pursue his passion for music. He began playing highlife, a cult music genre that fuses traditional African rhythms with Western instruments, as well as jazz. He formed his first group in London and was able to refine his skills. After his return to Nigeria He created Afrobeat which combined danceable beats and lyrics written in agitprop. The new sound became popular across Nigeria and across Africa, becoming one of the most influential styles of African music. Fela's political activism in the 1970s led him into direct conflict with Nigerian regimes. The regime was concerned that his music would inspire people to rebel against their oppressors and to overturn the status-quo. Despite numerous attempts to silence him, Fela continued to make incredible and extremely danceable music until the end of his life. He died in 1997 of complications caused by AIDS. The nightclub of Fela in Lagos called Afrika Shrine was always packed with people. He also constructed the Kalakuta republic which was used as his recording studio and club. The commune was also used as a place for political speeches. Fela often criticised 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. His legacy lives in the wake of his death due to complications related to AIDS. His Afrobeat style has influenced a variety of artists, including Beyonce and Wyclef Jean. Jay Z also cites him as a source of inspiration. He was a mysterious man who loved music and fun, as well as women. But his greatest legacy is his tireless efforts to fight for the oppressed. He was a Pan-Africanist The 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. He was a master of mixing African culture with American jazz and funk. He also used his music as a means to criticize Nigeria's oppressive 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 prestigious Ransome-Kuti family that included artists and anti-colonialists. His mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was an educator and feminist as was his father Israel Oludotun ransome-kuti, was instrumental in helping form a teachers union. He grew up singing and listening to the traditional melodies and the rhythms of highlife, an amalgamation of jazz standards, soul songs and Ghanaian hymns. His worldview was formed by this musical legacy. He was determined to bring Africa and the world together. In 1977, Fela released Zombie, one of his songs that compared the police to a rogue horde who would obey any order and then savagely attack the public. The song enraged the military authorities who invaded the home of Fela and took over his home. They beat all of them, including Fela's wives and children. His mother was thrown out of a window and died from injuries sustained in the subsequent attack. The war was the catalyst for Fela's anti-government activism. He established a commune and named it the Kalakuta Republic, which doubled as an recording studio. He also created an opposition party and split from the Nigerian state and his music were more influenced by social issues. In 1979, he walked his mother's coffin to the junta's headquarters in Lagos, and was beaten for his efforts. Fela was a fierce and uncompromising warrior who refused to accept the status quo. He knew he was fighting an inefficient and unjust power, but he never gave up. He was the epitomization of a spirit of indefatigability and in this manner, the man was truly hero. He was a man who defied every obstacle and, by doing so changed the course of the history of mankind. His legacy lives on to this day. He passed away in 1997. The passing of Fela was a devastating blow to his fans all over the world. Many thousands of people attended his funeral. He was 58 when he passed away. The family of the deceased said that he had died of heart failure caused by AIDS. Fela played a significant part in the creation and evolution of Afrobeat music which fuses traditional Yoruba rhythms and jazz with American funk. His political activism led to arrests and beatings by Nigerian police, but he refused to be silenced. He preached Africanism and urged others to stand up against corruption in the Nigerian military government. Fela was also a major influence on the Black Power movement in the United States, which inspired him to continue fighting for Africa. In his later years Fela was diagnosed with skin lesions and he lost weight drastically. These signs were an evident indication that he was suffering from AIDS. He was an AIDS disbeliever and refused treatment, but eventually passed away from the disease. Fela Kuti's legacy will live on for generations to come. Kuti's music is a strong political statement that is a challenge to the status of the art. He was a revolutionary who wanted to change how Africans were treated. He made use of his music as a method of social protest and was a fighter against colonialism. His music was influential in changing the lives of many Africans and he will be remembered for his contributions. Fela collaborated with numerous producers throughout his career to develop his distinctive sound. fela railroad settlements of these producers included EMI producer Jeff Jarratt, British dub master Dennis Bovell and keyboardist Wally Badarou. His music was a blend of traditional African beats, American funk, and jazz, gaining him an international following. He was a polarizing personality in the music industry and often criticized Western culture. Fela was known for his controversial music and lifestyle. He was a pot smoker and had many relationships with women. He was an activist who fought for the rights of the poor in Nigeria despite his extravagant lifestyle. His music influenced the lives of many Africans and inspired them to embrace their own culture.