Fela: The Afrobeat Legend

On this day, October 15th, 1938, 85 years ago, a cool cat named Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì was born. Even his parents could only have vaguely imagined the extraordinary greatness he would achieve. He was a wonder to behold, a marvel in this world.

Fela is hailed by many as the undisputed King of Afrobeat. This title is well-deserved, for he single-handedly birthed the Afrobeat genre, blending Fuji, Jazz, Highlife, and other prevalent genres of his time.

In the ’70s, his reign truly began. With his band  (the) Africa ’70, at his side and his voice as his instrument, he gifted us music that was more than good; it was exceptional. Not only due to his powerful voice or his band’s ability to craft such extraordinary sounds with their instruments, but also because of his profound lyrics addressing political corruption, social injustice, matters of the heart and a range of issues in-between.

It was truly exceptional music because of the way he seamlessly blended all these qualities into each and every song, infusing each note with soul and passion that infected everyone that heard them.

Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì’s legacy as the Afrobeat Legend lives on, and his brain child, Afrobeat continues to take the world by storm, even 26 years after his death.