Fela Kuti: Music Is The Weapon (1982)

Fela Kuti: Music Is The Weapon (1982)

I just caught Fela Kuti: Music Is The Weapon, a documentary about the life and times of Fela Kuti. Arguably the most well-known and influential African musician, Kuti hailed from Nigeria, and did a lot to bring attention to the atrocities occuring there. He had many run-in’s with government forces and repression…and by run-in’s, I mean, the military stormed his home and beat him and his wives relentlessly.  Fela was a true renaissance man – musician, rebel, prophet, politician.

The film has clips of live performances, interviews with Fela, and an in-depth look at his life, his music, and his politics.  One interesting fact that I learned, is that 1 in 4 African’s is Nigerian. Lagos is a massive city, I guess I just didn’t realize, but it makes sense given where it is located, along the West African coast. I’ve always loved the rhythms proposed by Fela Kuti and his band of singers, dancers, and musicians. and this flick is a great way to learn all about him.

Watch the entire film on

IPaintMyMind’s Video Page…