So MUSKit has been doin' a lot of hip-hop lately, and while there's nothing wrong with that in the least, I wanted to get a little more funk up in this thang. I was listening to WFUV today (I still love radio) and they were doing a little feature on Hugh Masekela -- an afro-beat and jazz legend from South Africa. It got me inspired to do a little post on my favorite afro-beat performer of all time -- Fela Kuti.
Fela, like Masakela, blended key forms of American pop music-- electric guitars, big band horns, smoky organs -- with African rhythm and percussion and rode that funked out sound in deliverance of a message of social import. What Fela did better than anyone else was deliver that message in the midst of a euphoric dance party. Shit, the message was part of the dance party - a celebration of the beauty of African culture.
Fela had presence, style, and incredible musical ability. We live in a day where you dont need to play an instrument in order to be on top of the music world, and I have all the respect in the world for Kanye, but for a singer to be able to pick up a saxophone and deliver a mind boggling solo after belting verse after verse of protest song, then go over to the keyboard and drop a ridiculously funky diddy all while dancing the entire time. That's just some next level shit.
While it has its flaws check out "Fela!" on Broadway to get a glimpse of the spectacle that was Fela Kuti, and enjoy a musical feast by the house band Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. Or just check out the YouTube below of the real Fela.
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