From James Brown to Marvin Gaye to Bob Marley, history has given us plenty of talented musicians who have delivered powerful messages of freedom and resistance in the form of amazing music. But when it comes to great music with a message, it’s hard to leave out Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician who blended West African music with jazz and funk to create an amazing soundtrack that spoke up for Black power and out against corruption in government.
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This year, as the Grammys plan to honor Kuti Sunday (Feb. 1) with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award we’re looking at the life of Afrobeats pioneer and music legend Fela Kuti.
Born in Nigeria
Fela Kuti was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti on Oct. 15, 1938, in Abeokuta, Nigeria. His father, Reverend Ransome-Kuti, was a Protestant minister and his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a well-known political activist.
A Student of Classical Music
As a child, Fela took lessons on the piano and drums and performed with the choir at his school. Although his parents had dreams of him becoming a doctor, Fela went on to study classical music at Trinity College of Music in London. That experience of being in London in the 1950s exposed him to the sounds of American jazz and rock, which he would take back home to Nigeria.
Making the Band
In 1963, Kuti put together the band Koola Lobitos, which included musicians from West Africa and the Caribbean. The group performed at private events and clubs around London. By the mid-1960s, the group had gained even more popularity in Nigeria, and hired to perform with well-known U.S. acts like Chubby Checker. The band’s name changed a couple of times, to Afrika 70 and Egypt 80, but their distinct sound remained the same.
The Godfather of Afrobeats
Felt Kuti is widely considered the godfather of Afrobeat, a unique sound influenced heavily by West African music as well as American funk and jazz. Kuti’s songs were known for repeating riffs, an emphasis on horns and percussion instruments and call and response vocals. His tracks, which were often longer than 15 minutes, were made for dancing, but there was also a much deeper message.
Political Influence
During a 1969 tour of the United States, Kuti met a Black civil rights activist named Sandra Smith, who introduced him to the work of activists, including Malcom X, Angela Davis and Stokely Carmichael.
“Sandra gave me the education I wanted. She was the one who opened my eyes … She talked to me about politics, history … she blew my mind really,” he said in an interview.
Criticism of The Government
Fela Kuti’s message of opposing corruption in government made him a frequent target. He was arrested by the Nigerian government 200 times, and his home was frequently raided looking for evidence of possession of marijuana (an offense that could come with a sentence of up to 10 years in prison).
Kalakuta Republic
Kuti’s distrust of the Nigerian government led him to create the Kalakuta Republic, a compound where he lived with his family and members of his band and declared an “independent, self-governing state” free from government control.
The first Kalakuta Republic, located in Surulere, a suburb of Lagos, was burned to the ground by the army in 1977. Residents of the compound were beaten and abused. Kuti’s mother suffered a fractured leg when she was thrown from a window. She passed away the following year. Kuti rebuilt Kalakuta Republic in Ikeja, where he lived until he died in 1997.
Personal Life
Fela Kuti practiced polygamy, marrying 27 women in a traditional Yoruba wedding ceremony in Lagos in 1979.
“Water No Get Enemy”
One of Kuti’s most popular singles is 1974’s “Water No Get Enemy.” In the nearly 10-minute track, Kuti sings about the importance of water as a life source. He uses the fact that it has no enemies as a metaphor for Black power and the importance of standing up in the face of oppression.
“Expensive S*t”
Fela Kuti’s songs about corruption in government were often inspired by his own experiences. His 1975 song, “Expensive Sh*t” is a 13-minute uptempo track inspired by his own interactions with law enforcement who he believed wasted time an resources trying to bring him down.
Movement of the People
In 1979 Kuti formed his own political party, the Movement of the People. He tried, unsuccessfully to run for president of Nigeria. The party was banned for speaking out in protest of the country’s presidential election.
Laid to Rest
Fela Kuti died on August 2, 1997 in Lagos due to complications related to AIDS. AFter a funeral procession that included more than 150,000 people, his body was laid to rest in front of his home in Ikeja, Nigeria.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Although he never won a GRAMMY award during his career, the music industry plans to pay tribute to Fela Kuti’s amazing impact by honoring him with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2026 ceremony along with other iconic artists, including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher, and Paul Simon.
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