Black President: Celebrating Fela

The late Fela Kuti was more than a music legend -- he was larger than life. His controversial life is the subject of a multimedia group exhibition at New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art, which is exposing new American audiences to the groundbreaking Nigerian. "Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti," which runs through Sept. 28 at the SoHo museum, explores the immense and multifaceted significance of Kuti's life and music. In a recent New York Times article, New Museum Director Lisa Phillips declared, "The most important cultural figure in Africa in the past 100 years is virtually unknown in America outside of the African-American community." The 40 Fela-inspired works of painting, sculpture, video, film, music and photography on display may help spread the word. Fela was born in a small town north of Lagos, Nigeria. By the time of his death in 1997 (of AIDS, at age 57), he had pioneered the African/jazz/funk fusion known as Afrobeat, married 27 women, declared his own republic immune from Nigerian law (and political oppression), produced over 70 recordings, and become a powerful voice against the corruption and injustice he saw becoming endemic in Nigeria (and across the African continent).

Despite his legendary status at home, his charismatic live performances, and the universal acclaim for his music, Fela never found mass audiences outside Africa. His tart lyrics regularly lambasted dictators and Western leaders alike. His songs were usually long and not particularly radio-friendly. Personally, he reveled in the amount of marijuana he could smoke as well as his polygamy, and he was constantly harassed the Nigerian government he so reviled.

According to reviewers, the exhibition at the New Museum manages to capture the complexity of his character as well as his enormous artistic and political impact.

Visit the New Museum and preview its Fela Kuti show

Get the New Museum's program guide for the Fela Kuti exhibition

Read a review, "The Afrobeat Generation," in the July 18, 2003 issue of Village Voice or the July 17, 2003 New York Times article about the gallery opening [fee required]

Learn more about Fela Kuti at the Fela Project, All Africa, the African Music Encyclopedia, and from the BBC.