Fela Anikulapo Kuti
- Born
- 1938-10-15 (age 58)
- Died
- 1997-08-02 (aged 58) · 28 years ago
- Birthplace
- Abeokuta
- Occupation
- Musician, Bandleader, Political Activist, Songwriter, Composer
- Active
- 1997 - 1997
- Spouse
- Remilekun Taylor
- Alma Mater
- Trinity College of Music, London
- AKA
- Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti on 15 October 1938, in Abeokuta, British Nigeria. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was an anti-colonial feminist, and his father, Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was an Anglican minister, school principal, and the first president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers. He attended Abeokuta Grammar School and later studied music at Trinity College of Music in London, where he formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing a fusion of jazz and highlife. In 1960, he married Remilekun (Remi) Taylor.
CAREER
Returned to Nigeria in 1963, reformed Koola Lobitos, and worked as a radio producer. In 1969, he toured the US, where he was influenced by the Black Power movement, renaming his band Nigeria 70. Back in Nigeria, the group became Africa '70, and his lyrical themes shifted to social issues. He formed the Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio. His music, called Afrobeat, combined West African music with American funk and jazz, and gained popularity throughout Africa. He released critical albums like "Zombie" (1977), leading to government raids and the destruction of his commune. He formed the political party, Movement of the People (MOP), in 1979 and continued to release albums and tour with his new band Egypt 80. He was jailed multiple times for his activism.
PERSONAL LIFE
Kuti changed his name to Anikulapo, meaning "He who carries death in his pouch," and stopped using the hyphenated surname "Ransome" because he considered it to be a slave name. In 1978, he controversially married 27 women simultaneously to mark the anniversary of an attack on the Kalakuta Republic and to protect his wives from false claims of kidnapping. He later adopted a rotation system of maintaining 12 simultaneous wives and divorced them in 1984. He was a cousin of Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka. He died on 2 August 1997 from heart failure due to complications with AIDS, although he had been an AIDS denialist.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
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Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
