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Nigeria 70 Definitive Story Of 70's Funky Lagos (Album) by Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa '70

Artist Biography For Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa '70

Fela Kuti Was Born In Abeokuta Nigeria To A Middle-Class Family. His Mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Was A Feminist Active In The Anti-Colonial Movement And His Father Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti A Protestant Minister And School Principal Was The First President Of The Nigerian Union Of Teachers. His Brothers Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti And Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Were Both Well Known In Nigeria. Fela Relocated To London In 1958 With The Intention Of Studying Medicine But Decided To Study Music Instead At The Trinity College Of Music. While There He Formed The Band Koola Lobitos Playing A Style Of Music He Called Afrobeat. The Style Was A Fusion Of American Jazz With West African Highlife. In 1961 Fela Married His First Wife Remilekun Remi Taylor With Whom He Would Have Three Children Femi Yeni And Sola . In 1963 Fela Moved Back To Nigeria Re-Formed Koola Lobitos And Trained As A Radio Producer For Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1969 Fela Took The Band To The United States. While There Fela Discovered The Black Power Movement Through Sandra Izsadore--A Friend Of The Black Panther Party--Which Would Heavily Influence His Music And Political Views And Renamed The Band "Nigeria 70". Soon The Immigration And Naturalization Service Were Tipped Off By A Promoter That Fela And His Band Were In The US Without Work Permits. The Band Then Performed A Quick Recording Session In Los Angeles Which Would Later Be Released As "The '69 Los Angeles Sessions". Fela And His Band Renamed "Africa '70" Returned To Nigeria. He Then Formed The Kalakuta Republic A Commune A Recording Studio And A Home For Many Connected To The Band Which He Later Declared Independent From The Nigerian State. Fela Set Up A Nightclub In The Empire Hotel Named The Afro-Spot And Then The Shrine Where He Performed Regularly. Fela Also Changed His Middle Name To "Anikulapo" Meaning "he Who Carries Death In His Pouch" Stating That His Original Middle Name Of Ransome Was A Slave Name. The Recordings Continued And The Music Became More Politically Motivated. Fela's Music Became Very Popular Among The Nigerian Public And Africans In General. In Fact He Made The Decision To Sing In English So That His Music Could Be Enjoyed By Individuals All Over Africa Where The Languages Spoken Are Very Diverse And Numerous. As Popular As Fela's Music Had Become In Nigeria And Elsewhere It Was Also Very Unpopular With The Ruling Government And Raids On The Kalakuta Republic Were Frequent. In 1974 The Police Arrived With A Search Warrant And A Cannabis Joint Which They Had Intended To Plant On Fela. He Became Wise To This And Swallowed The Joint. In Response The Police Took Him Into Custody And Waited To Examine His Feces. Fela Enlisted The Help Of His Prison Mates And Gave The Police Someone Else's Feces And Fela Was Freed. He Then Recounted This Tale In His Release Expensive Shit. Zombie 1977 In 1977 Fela And The Afrika 70 Released The Hit Album Zombie A Scathing Attack On Nigerian Soldiers Using The "zombie" Metaphor To Describe The Methods Of The Nigerian Military. The Album Was A Smash Hit With The People And Infuriated The Government Setting Off A Vicious Attack Against The Kalakuta Republic During Which One Thousand Soldiers Attacked The Commune. Fela Was Severely Beaten And His Elderly Mother Was Thrown From A Window Causing Fatal Injuries. The Kalakuta Republic Was Burned And Fela's Studio Instruments And Master Tapes Were Destroyed. Fela Claimed That He Would Have Been Killed If It Were Not For The Intervention Of A Commanding Officer As He Was Being Beaten. Fela's Response To The Attack Was To Deliver His Mother's Coffin To An Army Barrack And Write Two Songs "Coffin For Head Of State" And "Unknown Soldier " Referencing The Official Inquiry Which Claimed The Commune Had Been Destroyed By An Unknown Soldier. Fela And His Band Then Took Residence In Crossroads Hotel As The Shrine Had Been Destroyed Along With His Commune. In 1978 Fela Married Twenty Seven Women Many Of Whom Were His Dancers And Singers To Mark The Anniversary Of The Attack On The Kalakuta Republic. The Year Was Also Marked By Two Notorious Concerts The First In Accra In Which Riots Broke Out During The Song "Zombie" Which Led To Fela Being Banned From Entering Ghana. The Second Was At The Berlin Jazz Festival After Which Most Of Fela's Musicians Deserted Him Due To Rumors That Fela Was Planning To Use The Entirety Of The Proceeds To Fund His Presidential Campaign. Despite The Massive Setbacks Fela Was Determined To Come Back. He Formed His Own Political Party Which He Called "Movement Of The People". In 1979 He Put Himself Forward For President In Nigeria's First Elections For More Than A Decade But His Candidature Was Refused. At This Time Fela Created A New Band Called "Egypt 80" And Continued To Record Albums And Tour The Country. In 1983 He Again Ran For President But Was Again Attacked By Police Who Threw Him In Prison On A Dubious Charge Of Currency Smuggling. After Twenty Months The Regime Changed Once Again And Fela Was Released From Prison. On Fela's Release He Divorced His Twelve Remaining Wives. Once Again Fela Continued To Release Albums With Egypt 80 Made A Number Of Successful Tours Of The United States And Europe And Also Continued To Be Politically Active. In 1986 Fela Performed In Giants Stadium In New Jersey As Part Of The Amnesty International "Conspiracy Of Hope" Concert Sharing The Bill With Bono Carlos Santana And The Neville Brothers.

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