FELA!

Overview

FELA! The Concert celebrates the songs and life of Fela Kuti, a Nigerian activist, multi-instrumentalist and the pioneer of the Afrobeat genre.

As well as making his mark through the complex fusion of jazz and funk with African rhythms and harmonies, Kuti was also known as a musical rebel by mixing simple and powerful lyrics that openly assailed Nigeria's oppressive dictatorships, corrupt officials and oil companies. He died of an Aids-related illnesses in 1997.

FELA! initially opened in 2009 as a successful off-Broadway production. The concert version showcases Kuti's most captivating songs through a live 10-piece Afrobeat band and a backdrop of projected documentary excerpts.