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Fela Ransome-Kuti Fela, an activist and musician was also a Pan-Africanist. He was a supporter of African culture and was influenced by Black Power. He traveled to Ghana and discovered new musical influences. He wrote songs that were intended as political attacks against the Nigerian government and a global order that was systematically exploiting Africa. His music was uncompromisingly radical. Fela Ransome-Kuti was born in Abeokuta In the 1970s and the 1980s, Fela Ransome-Kuti became known for his brutal style of music and shrewd political declarations. Many of his songs were direct criticisms of the Nigerian government and the military dictatorships that ruled the nation in those days. He also criticized his fellow Africans who supported these dictatorships. Fela's rebellion against oppressive governments cost him dearly. He was beaten, arrested and jailed several times. In fact, he once called himself “a prisoner of the Kalakuta Republic.” He also established his own political party called the Movement for the Advancement of the People, or MOP. The mother of Fela was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who was a globally recognized feminist leader and women's rights activist. She was an active member of the Abeokuta Women's Union and worked as a teacher. She also helped organize some of the first preschool classes in Abeokuta. She was a suffragist, and was a part of the Nigerian Independence Movement. She was a close cousin of the writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. Ransome-Kuti was an avid supporter of Pan-Africanism and socialism. She was a staunch supporter of Pan-Africanism and socialism. Ransome-Kuti was influenced Malcolm X, Eldridge Clever and the Black Power Movement. She was also a participant of the African Renaissance movement. The music of Fela was able in spite of his opposition to the oppressive Nigerian Government and Western culture, to garner an international fan base. His music was influenced by Afrobeat, rock, and jazz and was heavily in the style of American jazz clubs. He was also a staunch anti-racist. The Nigerian rebel Fela's revolt against the government led to many arrests and beatings. This did not deter him from traveling the United States and Europe. In 1984, he was again targeted by the military government and detained on suspicions of smuggling currencies. Human rights groups from around the world intervened following the incident and the government was forced to back down. Nevertheless, 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 musician A passionate Pan-Africanist Fela was adamant about using his music as a form of social protest. He was a critic of the Nigerian Government while inspiring activists 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. The main goal of Fela's life was to fight for the rights and liberties of the oppressed. Fela began his career as a musician in 1958 after he dropped out of medical school in order to pursue his passion for music. He began by playing highlife music, which is a popular genre that fuses African rhythms and Western instruments with jazz. He formed his first group in London, where he was able to refine his abilities. When he returned to Nigeria He came up with Afrobeat which combines lyrics written in agit-prop with danceable beats. The new style was popular across Nigeria and across the continent, and became one of the most influential styles of African music. Fela's political activism in the 1970s put him in direct conflict with Nigerian regimes. The regime was worried that his music would motivate people to revolt against their oppressors and to overturn the status-quo. Fela, despite repeated attempts to suppress his music, continued to create fierce and danceable music to the end of his life. He died from AIDS-related complications in 1997. The nightclub of Fela in Lagos known as Afrika Shrine was always packed with people. He also built a commune, called the Kalakuta Republic, that functioned as his recording studio, club, and spiritual space. The commune also served as an arena for political speeches. Fela was critical of the Nigerian government as well as world leaders such as Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and P.W. Botha, South African Premier. Botha. Despite his death from AIDS-related complications his legacy is still alive. His pioneering Afrobeat sound continues to influence popular artists, including Beyonce, Wyclef Jean, and Jay Z, who have mentioned him as an influencer. He was an enigmatic figure who loved music women, music and having a good time however his real legacy lies in his tireless efforts to stand up for the marginalized. 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 an expert at mixing African culture with American jazz and funk. He also used his music as a way to criticize Nigeria's oppressive government. He continued to speak up and fight for his beliefs, despite being often detained and beaten. Fela was born into the prestigious Ransome-Kuti clan, which included anti-colonialists and artists. His mother Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a educator and feminist and his father, Israel Oludotun Ransome Kuti, helped to form a teachers' union. He was a singer and listened to the traditional songs and the rhythms of highlife, a mix of jazz standards, soul songs and Ghanaian hymns. This music influenced the worldview of Fela, who was determined to bring Africa to the world and the world to Africa. In 1977, Fela released Zombie, one of his songs that compared policemen to a rogue horde who would follow any order, and brutalize the populace. The song angered the military authorities who invaded the house of Fela and sacked his property. They beat everyone, including Fela's women and children. His mother was thrown from an open window and died of injuries sustained in the subsequent attack. The war fueled Fela's anti-government activism. He set up an organization called the Kalakuta Republic, which doubled as recording studio. He also formed a political party and broke away from the Nigerian government and his songs began to focus more on social issues. In 1979, he brought his mother's coffin into the headquarters of the junta's ruling party in Lagos and was then beaten. Fela was a fierce and uncompromising warrior who refused to accept the status of the game. He was aware that he was fighting an inefficient and unjust power however he did not give up. He was the epitomization of the spirit of determination and in this manner, the man was truly hero. He was a man who defied all odds, and in doing so changed the course of the history of mankind. His legacy lives on to this day. He died in 1997. The passing of Fela was a devastating blow to his numerous fans around the world. He was 58 years old when he died, and his funeral was attended by a large number of people. His family members claimed that he died due to heart failure due to AIDS. Fela was a key participant in the development of Afrobeat, a type of music that blended traditional Yoruba rhythms with jazz and American funk. His political activism led to his arrest and beatings by Nigerian police, but he refused to be silenced. He propagated Africanism and urged others to resist corruption within the Nigerian military government. Fela had a significant influence on the Black Power Movement in the United States. This inspired him to fight for Africa. In his later years, Fela developed skin lesions, and he also lost weight rapidly. These symptoms clearly indicated that he was suffering from AIDS. fela settlements refused to accept treatment and denied he had AIDS. Then the disease took him away. Fela Kuti will be remembered for generations to come. Kuti's music is a powerful expression of political views that challenges the status-quo. He was a revolutionist who aimed to change the way Africans were treated. He used his music as a method of social protest and was a fighter against colonialism. His music played a major role in making a difference in the lives of many Africans and the world will remember him for his contributions. Throughout his career, Fela worked with various producers to create his distinct 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 industry and was often critical of Western culture. Fela is famous for his controversial music and his life style. He smoked marijuana openly and had numerous affairs with women. Despite his outrageous life, he was a staunch activist and struggled for the rights of the poor in Nigeria. His music had a profound impact on Africans in their lives and helped them to embrace their culture.