Taken from his 1975 album “Exspensive Shit” The late great Fela Anikulapo Kuti, (15 October 1938 2 August 1997), real name Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, the pioneer of Afrobeat music. A Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, human rights activist, and political maverick.
Expensive is his twelfth full-length album. It is considered to be one of his best albums, and was ranked #78 on Pitchfork Media’s “Top 100 Albums of the 1970s”. The title of the album refers to an incident in which the Nigerian police tried to arrest Kuti by planting a joint on him. Kuti managed to eat the joint which prompted the police to bring him into custody and try to wait for him to produce the excrement. According to legend he managed to use another inmate’s feces and was eventually released.
Regarding his name change. He was known as Fela Ransome-Kuti until about 1978, when he renamed himself Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the middle name meaning ‘he who carries death in his pouch’. He was a human-rights revolutionary who started his own political party, Movement Of The People, to protest the kleptocracy in Nigeria. He had his own compound called the Kalakuta Republic, in Lagos, which he declared independent from Nigeria, where he and his uncountable number of wives lived, and were constantly terrorized by the government. His influence on funk and African music is unsurpassed with approximately 77 albums.
The musical style performed by Fela Kuti is called Afrobeat, which is essentially a fusion of jazz, funk, psychedelic rock, and traditional African chants and rhythms. It is characterized by having African-style percussion, vocals, and musical structure, along with jazzy, funky horn sections. The endless groove is also used, in which a base rhythm of drums, shekere, muted guitar, and bass guitar are repeated throughout the song. His band was notable for featuring two baritone saxophones, whereas most groups using this instrument only use one. This is a common technique in African and African-influenced musical styles, and can be seen in funk and hip-hop. Some elements often present in Felas music are the call-and-response within the chorus and figurative but simple lyrics. Felas songs were almost always over 10 minutes in length, some reaching the 20- or even 30-minute marks, while some unreleased tracks would last up to 45 minutes when performed live. This was one of many reasons that his music never reached a substantial degree of popularity outside of Africa. His songs were mostly sung in Nigerian pidgin, although he also performed a few songs in the Yoruba language. Felas main instruments were the saxophone and the keyboards, but he also played the trumpet, guitar, and took the occasional drum solo. Fela refused to perform songs again after he had already recorded them, which also hindered his popularity outside Africa. Fela was known for his showmanship, and his concerts were often quite outlandish and wild. He referred to his stage act as the Underground Spiritual Game.
His album output slowed in the 1990s, and eventually he stopped releasing albums altogether. The battle against military corruption in Nigeria was taking its toll, especially during the rise of dictator Sani Abacha. Rumors were also spreading that he was suffering from an illness for which he was refusing treatment. On 3 August 1997, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, already a prominent AIDS activist and former Minister of Health, stunned the nation by announcing his younger brothers death a day earlier from Kaposis sarcoma brought on by AIDS. (Their younger brother Beko was in jail at this time at the hand of Abacha for political activity). More than a million people attended Felas funeral at the site of the old Shrine compound. A new Africa Shrine has opened since Felas death in a different section of Lagos under the supervision of his son Femi Kuti.
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oyibo them said …
oyibo them said that… back man only good for entertainment…and they are imposing that vision because they control
this world…FELA on bway …sound like …president obama…and flavored water is …flavored…
Awesome! Wicked …
Awesome! Wicked awesome.
This is fantastic
This is fantastic
word.
word.
Guys, Guys, why …
Guys, Guys, why does every debate on facebook decend into petty arguement… just enjoy and be glad that Fela was in the world and made his mark which will last forever… water no get enemy !
We are not fans. …
We are not fans. We’re just enjoying his music in any form…
.a
this is really …
this is really great music! masakela meets the james taylor quartet, seems like.
I actually saw the …
I actually saw the play today…its GREAT!
The way I see it …
The way I see it someone is cashing in on his life/death.
His words/lyrics speak for themselves, a broadway musical can only reduce them.
Im all for helping his music and message reach new audiences, but not at that cost. …not for me atleast.
Wow! Really? You …
Wow! Really? You should research the show and its purpose before condemning it. Fela Kuti’s legacy is in no way “reduced” by the show. In fact, it is a celebration of his life and it is serving as a vehicle to continuing introducing his life, music and legacy to people who may have never heard of him. I was a fan BEFORE the musical and am even more of one because of it. Spread love!
FELA is a broadway …
FELA is a broadway musical???!?!
Thats sickening …Please dont call yourselves a fan based on a musical.
I would accept a movie, but never a musical, thats SO wrong.
Frankly I find the idea of reducing this great man’s achievements, struggles and tortures down to a song and dance sopmewhat of a slap in the face to the man.
WTF thought that one up?!?! And how much money is it making them?
and I would like to …
and I would like to inform you that “Fela!” is a Broadway musical
for all the people …
for all the people who want to see him and people who recently saw him, i would like to inform you that unfortunately he died over ten years ago
@ChaveeBleu
Fela …
@ChaveeBleu
Fela died a long long time ago,
Maybe you mean one of his sons? Femi perhaps?
Femi is talented but nothing compared to the legend FELA.
@stillmist- I just …
@stillmist- I just recently saw Fela! on Broadway. I’ve read books on Fela, but the show allowed me to become familiar with his moving musical works. My life has been changed and I feel more mentally strong. R.I.P. Fela Kuti
I love this song ^^
I love this song ^^
In Nigeria we use …
In Nigeria we use to call me “Baba 70″.Why? because this brand style of Jazzmusic was unique to Nigeria and Africa.Fela and his brothers tried to change the mentality of the corrupt leaders of Nigeria.His prophecies about the nation are now coming to past and coming home to roost.
Pete Rock and INI …
Pete Rock and INI sampled this in Grown Man’s Sport.
Was it ? Thats dope …
Was it ? Thats dope. Im just getting into it now and man … that guy is amazing !
have you never …
have you never heard of fela or something? that common album (like water for chocolate) was pretty much a tribute to him. and yes his dad was talking over a slightly changed version of this. this has also been sampled by pete rock on a jdilla produced track. erykah badus song no drama from her baduizm album also has subtle bits from this as well. mos def has sampled another fela song (fear not for man) as have the roots (mr grammarticologynisation – I will not apologize)
“Fela!” is a …
“Fela!” is a musical on broadway in New York about Fela Kuti’s life and music, it’s a great tribute to his life, and as a fan I’m happy with it.
I’m pretty sure …
I’m pretty sure that Fela died 13 years ago…
This is my …
This is my favourite Fela Kuti number
can’t wait to see …
can’t wait to see Fela! …… AMAZING.
Wait a minute … …
Wait a minute … was Commons Pops rapping over this on the end of his album?
This kinda sounds like “The Life” by Alicia Keys too … well Common and Alicia stuff sounds like THIS rather …