Femi Kuti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Femi Kuti
Kuti performing on 10 November 2008
Background information
Birth name	Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti
Born	(1962-06-16) 16 June 1962 (age 63) London, England
Origin	Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Genres	Afrobeat, jazz, Funk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Saxophone, vocals, trumpet, keyboards
Years active	1978–present
Labels	BMG

Performance at Warszawa Cross Culture Festival – 25 September 2011

Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born on June 16, 1962), known as Femi Kuti, is a famous Nigerian musician. He was born in London and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. Femi is the oldest son of Fela Kuti, who created a music style called Afrobeat. He is also the grandson of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a strong supporter of women's rights and a political activist.

Femi Kuti started his music journey playing in his father's band, Egypt 80. In 1986, Femi formed his own band, Positive Force. This helped him become a well-known artist on his own.

Femi Kuti's Life Story

Femi Anikulapo Kuti was born in London. His parents were Fela and Remilekun (Remi) Ransome-Kuti. He spent his childhood in Lagos, which used to be the capital of Nigeria. When Femi was young, his mother left his father, and Femi lived with her. But in 1977, Femi decided to move in with his father.

Femi started playing the saxophone when he was 15 years old. He later joined his father's band. He went to school at Baptist Academy and Igbobi College.

Just like his father, Femi has always cared deeply about social and political issues. His grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a brave political campaigner. She fought for women's rights. Even though Femi's father was a global music star, Femi says his mother, Remilekun Taylor, was his biggest inspiration.

He started his own band, Positive Force, in the late 1980s. Dele Sosimi, who used to play keyboards for Fela Kuti, joined him. Femi's music career began to grow internationally in 1988. He was invited to play at big festivals in France and Germany. In 2000, Femi sang on a song called "Ala Jalkoum" with the artist Rachid Taha.

In 2001, Femi worked with several American musicians on his album Fight to Win. These artists included Common, Mos Def, and Jaguar Wright.

In 2002, Femi helped create a new version of his father's famous song "Water No Get Enemy." This song was part of Red Hot & Riot. This CD honored Fela Kuti. Femi's song was made with artists like D'Angelo, Macy Gray, and Nile Rodgers. All the money from the CD went to groups that teach about or fight AIDS.

Femi Kuti's voice can also be heard in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. He is the host of a radio station called IF 99. This station plays great music from West Africa and other places.

Like his father, Femi often uses his music to talk about important issues in his home country, Nigeria. Songs like "Sorry Sorry" and "What Will Tomorrow Bring" share his thoughts on these matters.

Femi has been nominated for a Grammy award four times. These nominations were in the world music category. He was nominated in 2003, 2010, 2012, and 2013.

On December 19, 2014, Femi Kuti signed a deal with Chocolate City Music Group. This news was shared on social media.

On February 5, 2021, Femi Kuti and his son, Made Kuti, released a special two-album project called Legacy+. This project includes Femi's album Stop the Hate and Made's first album For(e)ward.

Femi Kuti's Activism

Femi Kuti is the son of Fela Kuti, a famous Afrobeat singer and activist. Femi learned from his father to care deeply about both music and making a difference. He started playing saxophone and keyboard with his father's band when he was 16. After his father passed away, Femi took on a bigger role, writing and singing his own songs.

Femi continues to be very involved in politics through his music. His songs are full of energy, mixing funk, jazz, and traditional African sounds. He sings about problems like unfair government, poverty, and difficult living conditions. These are issues that many people in Nigeria face, even though their country has a lot of oil.

Femi Kuti's album Africa for Africa talks about "Bad Government" as a big problem in Africa. Before the 2011 elections in Nigeria, he told people that he saw "no difference between the three candidates" running for president. He said, "We might be moving towards democracy, and that's probably better than war. But corruption is still very common. People are hungry and sick. And the government controls the news, so it can't be critical."

Kuti also said that many people in Nigeria just try to earn enough to eat. He pointed out that they might not know that other parts of the world don't have daily power cuts or water shortages. He also mentioned that Nigerians don't learn about the history of African slavery in their school books. He shared similar ideas during the 2015 elections. He released a new version of his song "Politics Na Big Business" with Tuface Idiibia and Sound Sultan.

Femi's song "Make We Remember" asks people to remember the words of his father and other "great black people" who fought for Africa's freedom. For a long time, Femi has used his music to inspire, change, and motivate African people.

Live Performances

On November 22, 2014, Femi Kuti performed at a BMO event. He shared the stage with M.I, who was also signed to his new music label.

Kuti performing in London

On April 24, 2015, he performed in the 2 Kings concert with his brother Seun Kuti. This concert was special because it was the first time the brothers performed together.

On May 15, 2017, Femi Anikulapo Kuti was recognized in the Guinness World Records. He set a record for holding a single note on a saxophone using a technique called circular breathing. He held the note for an amazing 51 minutes and 35 seconds!

Discography

Albums

• No Cause for Alarm? (1989, Polygram)
• M.Y.O.B (1991, Kalakuta Records)
• Femi Kuti (1995, Tabu/Motown)
• Shoki Shoki (1998, Barclay/Polygram/Fontana MCA)
• Fight to Win (2001, Barclay/Polygram/Fontana MCA/Wraase)
• Day by Day (2008, Wrasse Records)
• Africa for Africa (2010 /2011, Wrasse Records/Knitting Factory Records)
• No Place for My Dream (2013, Knitting Factory Records)
• One People One World (2018, Knitting Factory Records)
• Stop the Hate (2021, Partisan Records)

Live albums

• Africa Shrine (Live CD) (2004, P-Vine)
• Live at the Shrine (Deluxe Edition DVD) + Africa Shrine (Live CD) (2005, Palm Pictures/Umvd)

Tours

• Le Cabaret Suavage Black Summer Festival, Paris (Afrobeat concert, 2015)
• Garforth Festival Garforth, Leeds (2015)
• The Lantern Bristol, UK 2015
• Band on the Wall Manchester, UK, 2015
• Latitude Festival Suffolk UK, 2015
• Larmer Tree Festival Salisbury UK 2015
• Walthamstow Garden Party, London, Lloyd Park 2015

Collections

• The Best of Femi Kuti (2004, Umvd/Wrasse)
• Femi Kuti The Definitive Collection (2007, Wrasse Records)

Appearances

• "Vampires" (on the album Radio Retaliation by Thievery Corporation) (2008, ESL Music)
• Hope for the Hopeless (2008) collaboration with Brett Dennen
• Finding Fela (2014) a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney
• "Arabesque" (on the album Everyday Life by Coldplay) (2019)

Compilations

• Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack (2008, IF99)

Other

• No Cause For Alarm? (1989, Polygram)
• M.Y.O.B. (1991, Meodie)
• "Ala Jalkoum" (on the album Rachid Taha Live) (2001, Mondo Melodia)

Awards and Honours

As of 2022, Femi Kuti has been nominated for six Grammy Awards. He was nominated four times for the Best World Music Album (in 2002, 2009, 2011, and 2013). For the 2022 Grammy Awards, Femi and his son Made were nominated for Best Global Music Album. Femi was also nominated for Best Global Music Performance.

On October 20, 2022, Femi Kuti received a special award from the French Ministry of Culture in Paris. He was named a Chevalier des arts et des lettres, which means Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Videography

See also

In Spanish: Femi Kuti para niños

• Ransome-Kuti family
• Seun Kuti
• Fela Anikulapo Kuti