Artist Spotlight : October : Fela Kuti

Artist Spotlight : October : Fela Kuti ~ (Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti)

Fela Anikulapo Kuti (15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also professionally known as Fela Kuti, or simply Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer, pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre and human rights activist. He has been called "superstar, singer, musician, Panafricanist, polygamist, mystic, legend." At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers. 

more back story ~ wikipedia

Musically
"He formed his first group Koola Lobitos in 1963. The large jazz, funk, and afrobeat collective underwent many changes in the following decades but the style remained the same thanks to Fela's vision and other key members such as drummer Tony Allen.

In 1969 after visiting America, Fela returned to Nigeria and opened club Afro Spot in Lagos also changing the group's name to Afrika 70. He played with Ginger Baker on the album Ginger Baker Live with Afrika 70 and Fela Kuti, released in 1971 and along side Bobby Gass, better known as Bobby Tench from The Jeff Beck Group, on Stratavarious which was released the next year. In 1981 Fela changed the group's name for the last time to Egypt 80.

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 they were constantly terrorized by the government.

His influence on funk and African music is unsurpassed and has put his name to many albums, the total number thought to be 77." ~ discogs

Fela Rarities with Stephen Budd & Rikki Stein (3 part series)

part 1 

part 2 

part 3 - (Highlights K Civ 13:30 mark)

   K Civ Favorites

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Water No Get Enemy"

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Lady"

Fela Kuti & Roy Ayers "2000 Blacks Got To Be Free"

Fela Kuti "No Possible" (Joystick Jays Vulgar Distractions Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Opposite People"
Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Shakara Oluje"

Fela Kuti & Nigeria '70 "Witchcraft" (K Civ Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Fefe Na Efe" (Boddhi Satva's Ancestral Soul Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Shuffering & Smiling" (K Civ Rebump Edit)

Fela Kuti & Nigeria '70 "Ako" (K Civ Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Eko Ile" (K Civ Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Go Slow"

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Upside Down" (Special Jazzy Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Egbe Mi O" (K Civ Felabration Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Opposite People" (Timmy Regisford and Adam Rios Remix)

Fela Kuti & Egypt '80 "You Gimme S**t I Give You S**t" (K Civ Edit)

Fela Kuti & Roy Ayers "Africa - Center Of The World"

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Roforofo Fight"

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Zombie"

Fela Kuti "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" (K Civ 4:20 Party Break Mix)

Fela Kuti "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" (K Civ Radio Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Egbe Mi O" (Frank Booker Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa 70 "Alu Jon Jonki Jon"

Fela Kuti & Egypt '80 "M.O.P." (Lady's Groove Edit by K Civ)

Fela Kuti & Egypt '80 "M.O.P." (K Civ Edit)

Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" (Lady's Groove Edit by K Civ)

    Fela Kuti Remake Favorites

Fela (Broadway) feat. Sahr Ngaujah & Lillias White "Trouble Sleep"

Masters At Work feat. Wunmi "MAW Expensive"

Cheikh Lo, Les Nubians, & Manu Dibango feat. Chateau Flight "Shakara/Lady"

Femi Kuti feat. Macy Gray & D'Angelo "Water No Get Enemy"

Luisito Quintero "Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo (lp mix)

Fela Lives!