Here is an exciting glimpse of the Broadway musical produced by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. This musical uses Afrobeat music to tell the story of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s controversial life as an artists, political activist and revolutionary musician.
Kuti’s music is experiencing a revival at the moment. This is both due to the Broadway musical, and to the release of re-mastered editions of his entire music catalog.
Certainly, you never know which musicians will make a comeback and when. At the moment, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a pioneer in the mix of African music, jazz, funk and “Afrobeat” is enjoying a revival. As a global superstar in the 1970s, Fela Kuti is enjoying a comeback. While he’s been gone for over a decade, his revolutionary music is enjoying a resurgence in American pop culture.
Certainly, this revival is due to two main influences. “Fela!”, a hit Broadway musical, uses Afrobeat music to tell the story of Kuti’s life. This musical is backed by Jay-Z and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. In addition to this obvious recognition of Kuti’s talents, Knitting Factory Records recently began releasing re-mastered editions of his entire catalog of music. This project will include, in total, nine albums that were recorded from 1969 to 1974.