Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Music in Africa can't be for enjoyment but struggle - Abami Eda

Fela said the whole idea about Africa must be represented in the music and in the art and thus should include the struggle of the people.

Before his death 21 years ago, music legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti had an idea of what Africa music should be - an instrument of struggle and revolution.

The Afrobeat creator and human rights activist in an interview, several years during his struggle, said the whole idea about Africa must be represented in the music and in the art.

He further said music in Africa can not be for enjoyment but has to be for revolution because the people are used to struggle for people's existence.

"So I think as Africa is concerned, music can not be for enjoyment, music has to be for revolution where you walk with the people, like the people and doing your duty as a citizen, play music and act, do something about it, if you feel bad about it, do something about it."

ALSO READ: 5 unforgettable Fela moments 21 years after his death

 

The legendary musician also said, "If you are an English, music can be an instrument of enjoyment and you can sing about love or when you are going to bed next but in my own environment, my society is under development because of an alien system of government so there is no music for enjoyment, there is nothing like love so there is something that is struggle for people's existence.

"So as an artist, politically, artistically, the whole idea about your environment must be represented in the music and in the art. So art is what is happening at the particular time of the peoples' development or under development."

 

Lemi Gharioku, the man behind the art covers

 

Lemi Ghariokwu designed 26 album covers for Femi Kuti, and he looks back on how he first met the Abami Eda in an interview with CNN.

"I did the portrait [a portrait of Fela] and lo and behold he took me to Fela just like that," says Ghariokwu, "When he saw the portrait, Fela said, 'wow, God damn it'.

It was the first time I heard these words. Fela loved the portrait so much and wrote me a cheque for N120, I used to earn N30 for my portrait work, but I rejected it. I said 'I don't want money, I give you the work from the bottom of my heart.

He was very surprised so he tore up the cheque, took a sheet of paper and wrote 'please admit bearer to any show free of charge, that was my ticket to Kalakuta; that was the beginning", he concludes.

21 years after, he still has death in his pouch and continues to live through his music.