PERFORMANCE PRACTICE IN AFROBEAT MUSIC OF FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v2i7.155Keywords:
Performance, Total Theatre, Yabis, Popular musicAbstract
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the creator of Afrobeat genre was an accomplished performer in every sense of the word. His creative ingenuity was evident in all the musical and extra-musical exertions that went into the production of Afrobeat This paper therefore examines the performance practices of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. It further examines the audience participation in performence process and the importance of the ‘yabis’ used by Fela in communicating his political ideologies. The instrumental ensemble play a significant role in Fela’s performances. It will discuss the ensembles used in afrobeat performences and how it has helped in interpreting Fela’s African Musical ideologies in concrete terms. In collating relevant data for the study, the interview method was adopted by the researcher. This involved collecting information on Fela’s performance from former members of his band, as well as a critical analysis of Several videos of his performances. Ultimately, this paper establishes the concept of Fela’s performance as a total theatre, highlighting the effect of music, dance and visual effects in his performances.
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