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• Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician and composer notable both for pioneering the Afrobeat genre and for his political activism. With his unique combination of Jazz, Funk and traditional African chant, Kuti helped to popularize World Music. He is also known for founding the Kalakuta Republic, a commune and recording studio that he officially declared independent from the Nigerian state. Kuti died in 1997 at the age of 58 from complications due to AIDS.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: October 15, 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria
  2. Died: August 2, 1997
  3. Birth Name: Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti
  4. Son: Femi Kuti
  5. Cause of Death: Kaposi's sarcoma brought on by AIDS
  6. Attended the Trinity College of Music
  7. First band: Koola Lobitos
  8. In 1979, formed his own political party called "Movement of the People" (MOP)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Nigeria | AIDS in Africa | Femi Kuti

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