Remembering Fela Kuti...2

2nd of August every year would be remembered by conscious music lovers and activists the world over as the day that great son of African--Fela Anikulapo-Kuti passed away…
Fela was loved by many--especially the down trodden in our society.
He was seen as the voice of the masses and a thorn in the flesh of those in authority…

Not so many people would agree with the assertion that Fela was the greatest musician to emerge from the soil of Africa…
Some saw him as a pervert who encouraged the youths to smoke cannabis and created a haven for miscreants and layabouts in his kalakuta republic--a place where he acted as a king and demigod…

From whatever standpoint one looks at this enigmatic social activist and crusader, a lot of people would agree that Fela left his footprint in the ‘sound’ of our time…




He was the creator of the genre of music known as Afrobeat--a combination of Yoruba music, jazz, Highlife, and funk rhythms, fused with African percussion and vocal styles…
It was said that Fela was awakened into this style of music after a meeting with an African-American lady-SANDRA IZSADORE… she was the one responsible for igniting the revolutionary fire latent in him…
You all will know and recognize her powerful captivating voice as the only female vocalist to ever grace a Fela song…”UPSIDE DOWN…

Fela touched so many lives with his brand of music. Today, a lot young people attempt to play Afro beat… some even dress, talk , act and sing like him…but you and I know that there can only be one Fela Anikulapo-Kuti because, he carried death in his pouch…so that his work might live forever.