In
the late 1950s, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was sent to the UK by his parents to study medicine, like many young Africans of his time. However, upon arriving in London in 1958, Fela discovered that his true passion wasn’t medicine but music. He enrolled at Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) to study composition and trumpet performance.
While studying, he formed a band called Koola Lobitos, which began pioneering a unique sound later recognized as Afrobeat. Fela’s music drew inspiration from diverse sources—James Brown's funk, Miles Davis' jazz, Frank Sinatra's swing, along with the traditional Yoruba rhythms and the highlife styles of Ghana and Nigeria. Koola Lobitos quickly became a regular on the London music scene.
In 1969, Fela returned to Nigeria, and his band underwent several name changes, from Nigeria ’70 to Afrika ’70, Egypt ’70, and finally Egypt ’80. That same year, while touring the United States, Fela encountered the Black Power movement, which deeply influenced his music and shifted his focus to social and political commentary.
To this day, his innovative sound continues to inspire musicians and producers worldwide.
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