Throwback: Happy 87th Birthday, Fela Kuti!

We’ve managed to get through to October. Man, what a brutally stupid, cruel slog it has been. But we’re here.

October is a busy month in music history

• Donny Hathaway, was born 80 years ago on October 1
• The Human League‘s Philip Oakey celebrates his 70th birthday on October 1
• Sting celebrated his 74th birthday on October 2
• Chubby Checker, one of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll and R&B celebrates his 84th birthday on October 3
• Arguably one of the greatest guitarists and bluesmen ever, Stevie Ray Vaughan was born 71 years ago on October 3
• The Roots‘ Black Thought, arguably one of the greatest living emcees celebrated his 52nd birthday on October 3
• AC/DC‘s Brian Johnson celebrated his 78th birthday on October 5
• John Mellencamp celebrated his 74th birthday on October 7
•  CL Smooth, one of the more underrated emcees in the business celebrated his 57th birthday on October 8 
• Radiohead and  The Smile‘s Thom Yorke celebrated his 57th birthday on October 9
• PJ Harvey celebrated her 56th birthday on October 9
• The Who‘s John Entwistle, one of the most criminally under-appreciated bassists in rock history was born 81 years ago on October 9
• The legendary John Lennon was born on 85 years ago on October 9
• Thelonious Monk was born 108 years ago on October 10
• David Lee Roth, one of the greatest rock/metal frontman to ever live, and a member of the most beloved Van Halen lineup, ever, celebrated his 71st birthday on October 10
• The legendary Art Blakey, was born 106 years ago on October 11
• Daryl Hall, best known for his work with the blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates one of the most commercially successful duos ever, celebrates his 79th birthday on October 11
• MC Lyte celebrated her 55th — yes, 55th! — birthday on October 11
• Sam and Dave‘s Sam Moore was born 90 years ago on October 12
• The Smithereens‘ founder and first frontman, Pat DiNizio was born 70 years ago on October 12
• Sammy Hagar, one of rock’s great frontmen celebrated his 78th birthday on October 13
• Art Tatum, one of the greatest — and somewhat unheralded — jazz pianists to ever live was born 116 years ago on October 13
• Thomas Dolby, who had a smash-hit with 1982’s “She Blinded Me With Science” celebrated his 67th birthday on October 14

The godfather of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti was born 87 years ago today. Although we tragically lost Fela 28 years ago from AIDS, his influence on contemporary global music has managed to grow exponentially with an increasing number of bands and artists across the world creating their own specific take on the genre — and sound — he created over 50 years ago. 

Kuti’s work is bold and defiantly pro-Black and pan-African. But he wasn’t without controversy and he could often be contradictory: His views on women and their roles in society would offend and infuriate most feminists — and most modern women. He was a man of his times and culture, and as a result he’s conflicting and flawed. And yet, the man and his work are so singular, so incomparable. 

Happy birthday, Fela! Happy birthday wherever you are!

 ______

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