Years after death, Fela nears mainstream appeal

NEW YORK — Fela, the late Nigerian musician and political agitator, fascinated millions and had fans around the world, including legends like Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Yet he was, and still is, largely unknown to popular audiences, especially in the United States.

That's slowly changing. More people are starting to know the name, music and struggle of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. His story is reaching thousands through the Broadway musical "Fela!" In addition, his albums are being rereleased and a film about his life is planned.

But during his life, Fela wasn't interested in becoming a global star. His songs would last 10, 20 or 30 minutes long — not suitable for regular radio play. He also toured with a band that had 70-plus members. And Fela didn't want to compromise to fit the mold of the pop sensation.

"He used to say, 'I don't care what you do but don't (expletive) around with my music man,'" said Rikki Stein, Fela's last manager before the singer-composer died of AIDS in 1997 at age 58.

"(Fela would say), 'I'm writing African, classical music, and you don't (expletive) around with Tchaikovsky so why you going to mess with me?' And that's something that reverberated through me over the years," continued Stein.

Fela, who was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was known as the founder of Afrobeat music. He created that genre in the 1960s by combining African sounds with a fusion of rock, R&B, jazz and soul music. He performed at his nightclub in Lagos, The Shrine, and also around the globe.

But Fela, who's father was a Protestant minister and mother an activist, didn't just want to be a musician — he also wanted to be the voice of the oppressed. In 1979, he formed the political party Movement of the People and over the years, he repeatedly staged unsuccessful runs for president.

His songs and lyrics battled what he saw as corruption and oppression by the Nigerian government at the time. He paid a price for his activism, though. He was beat and jailed over 200 times, while soldiers threw his mother out of a window; she died from the injuries.

Michael Veal, the author of 2000's "Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon," called Fela "one of the most important musicians of the post-World War II era, and one of the most important musicians in the world of black music."

"He's as important as James Brown or Bob Marley and it was a story that had to be told," continued Veal, who is also professor of music at Yale University.