Favorite
Born: 15 October 1938, in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Died: 2 August 1997, of AIDS and heart failure in Lagos, Nigeria.
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.
Father of Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti.
2024
2023
Not On Label (Ezra Collective Self-released)
File, FLAC
2023
Knitting Factory Records
LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP
2022
Not On Label
2xFile, MP3
2021
Defected
12"
2021
Knitting Factory Records
LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP
2021
2020
2017
Shango Records (4)
File, WAV
2017
2016
Knitting Factory Records, Kalakuta Sunrise
10", RSD, Comp, Ltd
2014
Knitting Factory Records
LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP
2013
Knitting Factory Records
CD, Comp, RE, LP
2013
Knitting Factory Records
CD, Comp, RE, LP
2013
2013
2012
Wrasse Records, Label Maison, Knitting Factory Records
LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP
2012
Str8 Buttah Productions
12xFile, MP3, Album, 320
2012
Kino Lorber, Knitting Factory Records
DVD-V, Mono
2012
2010
Yoruba Records (2)
LP, Album, Ltd
2010
Wrasse Records, Label Maison, Knitting Factory Records
LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP, Album, RE + LP
2010
Wrasse Records, Wrasse Records
9xCD, Album, RE + Box + Comp, Ltd
2010
Wrasse Records, Wrasse Records
Box, Comp, Ltd + 8xCD, Comp, RE, RM + DVD-V
2010
Wrasse Records
Box, Comp, Ltd + 9xCD, Album, RE, RM
2010
U-Phonic Filmz
DVD, Doc
2010
2008
2008
2008
2007
Wrasse Records
2xCD, Comp + DVD
2007
Evergreen Musical Company Ltd.
40xCD, Comp, Alu
2007
Universal Music
2xCD, Comp
2007
2006
Sugardub Recordings
12"
2005
Universal, Barclay
CD, Comp, RE, RM
2005
Barclay
CD, Album, Comp
2004
2004
2002
Barclay, Geffen Records, Chronicles
DVD-V, NTSC, DVD
2001
Kalakuta
6xLP, Album, RM + Box, Comp, Ltd, Num
2001
Kalakuta
6xLP, Album, RM + Box, Comp, Ltd, Num
2001
Shanachie
CD, Comp
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
1999
Kalakuta
6xLP, Album, RM + Box, Comp, Ltd, Num
1999
Kalakuta
6xLP, Album, RM + Box, Comp, Ltd, Num
1999
Barclay
3xCD, Comp, RM
1999
Barclay
CD, Comp, RE, RM
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1998
Movieplay Gold
CD, Comp
1998
Victor
CD, Comp, RE
1998
ExWorks Records
CD, Comp
1998
Victor
CD, Comp, RE
1998
Victor
CD, Comp
1998
Victor
CD, Comp
1998
Victor
CD, Comp
1998
Victor
CD, Comp, RE
1998
Victor
CD, Comp, RE, RM
1998
Victor
CD, Comp
1998
Not On Label
Acetate, 10"
1998
1997
1997
1997
1997
1995
Perrison
CD, Comp
1994
1994
1993
Movieplay Gold
CD, Comp
1993
1993
1993
1993
1992
Mau Mau Records
CD, Comp
1992
1991
1991
1990
Eurobond Records
7", Single
1990
1990
1990
1990
1990
1990
1989
Eurobond Records
7", Single, Promo
Fela Kuti
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Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
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Fela Kuti
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Fela Kuti
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