Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti (15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997 … Read Full Bio ↴Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti (15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997 ), known professionally as Fela Kuti, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, or simply Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, political maverick & leader of Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa 70.

HMV Magazine ranked him as #46 on a list of the 100 most influential musicians of the 20th century.

The musical style performed by Fela Kuti is called Afrobeat, which is essentially a fusion of jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional Yoruban chants and rhythms. It is characterized by having African-style percussion, vocals, and musical structure, along with jazzy, funky horn sections. The endless groove is also used, in which a base rhythm of drums, shekere, muted guitar, and bass guitar are repeated throughout the song. His band was notable for featuring two baritone saxophones, whereas most groups using this instrument only use one. This is a common technique in African and African-influenced musical styles, and can be seen in funk and hip-hop. Some elements often present in Fela's music are the call-and-response within the chorus and figurative but simple lyrics. Fela's songs were almost always over 10 minutes in length, some reaching the 20- or even 30-minute marks, while some unreleased tracks would last up to 45 minutes when performed live. This was one of many reasons that his music never reached a substantial degree of popularity outside of Africa. His songs were mostly sung in Nigerian pidgin, although he also performed a few songs in the Yoruba language. Fela's main instruments were the saxophone and the keyboards, but he also played the trumpet, guitar, and took the occasional drum solo. Fela refused to perform songs again after he had already recorded them, which also hindered his popularity outside Africa. Fela was known for his showmanship, and his concerts were often quite outlandish and wild. He referred to his stage act as the Underground Spiritual Game.

Fela was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, to a middle-class family. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a feminist activist in the anti-colonial movement and his father, Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, a Protestant minister and school Principal, was the first president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. His brothers, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti and Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti,both medical doctors, are both well known in Nigeria.

Fela was sent to London in 1958 to study medicine but decided to study music instead at the Trinity College of Music. While there, he formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing a style of music that he would later call Afrobeat. The style was a fusion of American Jazz, psychedelic rock, and Funk with West African Highlife. In 1961, Fela married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor, with whom he would have three children (Femi, Yeni, and Sola). In 1963, Fela moved back to Nigeria, re-formed Koola Lobitos and trained as a radio producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1969, Fela took the band to the United States. While there, Fela discovered the Black power movement through Sandra Smith (now Isidore)—a partisan of the Black Panther Party—which would heavily influence his music and political views and renamed the band Nigeria ’70. Soon, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was tipped off by a promoter that Fela and his band were in the US without work permits. The band then performed a quick recording session in Los Angeles that would later be released as The '69 Los Angeles Sessions.

Fela and his band, renamed Africa '70, returned to Nigeria. He then formed the Kalakuta Republic, a commune, a recording studio, and a home for many connected to the band that he later declared independent from the Nigerian state. Fela set up a nightclub in the Empire Hotel, named the Afro-Spot and then the Afrika Shrine, where he performed regularly. Fela also changed his middle name to Anikulapo (meaning "he who carries death in his pouch"), stating that his original middle name of Ransome was a slave name. The recordings continued, and the music became more politically motivated. Fela's music became very popular among the Nigerian public and Africans in general. In fact, he made the decision to sing in Pidgin English so that his music could be enjoyed by individuals all over Africa, where the local languages spoken are very diverse and numerous. As popular as Fela's music had become in Nigeria and elsewhere, it was also very unpopular with the ruling government, and raids on the Kalakuta Republic were frequent. In 1974 the police arrived with a search warrant and a cannabis joint, which they had intended to plant on Fela. He became wise to this and swallowed the joint. In response, the police took him into custody and waited to examine his feces. Fela enlisted the help of his prison mates and gave the police someone else's feces, and Fela was freed. He then recounted this tale in his release Expensive Shit (now released together with "He Miss Road" as Expensive Shit/He Miss Road).

In 1977 Fela and the Afrika ’70 released the hit album Zombie, a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic, during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Fela was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Fela's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Fela claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten. Fela's response to the attack was to deliver his mother's coffin to the main army barrack in Lagos and write two songs, "Coffin for Head of State" and "Unknown Soldier," referencing the official inquiry that claimed the commune had been destroyed by an unknown soldier.

Fela and his band then took residence in Crossroads Hotel as the Shrine had been destroyed along with his commune. In 1978 Fela married 27 women, many of whom were his dancers, composers, and singers to mark the anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic. Later, he was to adopt a rotation system of keeping only twelve simultaneous wives. The year was also marked by two notorious concerts, the first in Accra in which riots broke out during the song "Zombie," which led to Fela being banned from entering Ghana. The second was at the Berlin Jazz Festival after which most of Fela's musicians deserted him, due to rumors that Fela was planning to use the entirety of the proceeds to fund his presidential campaign.

Despite the massive setbacks, Fela was determined to come back. He formed his own political party, which he called 'Movement of the People'. In 1979 he put himself forward for President in Nigeria's first elections for more than a decade but his candidature was refused. At this time, Fela created a new band called Egypt 80 and continued to record albums and tour the country. He further infuriated the political establishment by dropping the names of ITT vice-president Moshood Abiola and then General Olusegun Obasanjo at the end of a hot-selling 25-minute political screed titled "I. T. T. (International Thief Thief)."

In 1984, he was again attacked by the Military government, who jailed him on a dubious charge of currency smuggling. His case was taken up by several human-rights groups, and after 20 months, he was released from prison by General Ibrahim Babangida. On his release he divorced his 12 remaining wives, saying that "marriage brings jealousy and selfishness." Once again, Fela continued to release albums with Egypt 80, made a number of successful tours of the United States and Europe and also continued to be politically active. In 1986, Fela performed in Giants Stadium in New Jersey as part of the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope concert, sharing the bill with Bono, Carlos Santana, and the Neville Brothers. In 1989, Fela & Egypt 80 released the anti-apartheid "Beasts of No Nation" album that depicts on its cover U.S. President Ronald Reagan, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha with fangs dripping blood.

His album output slowed in the 1990s, and eventually he stopped releasing albums altogether. The battle against military corruption in Nigeria was taking its toll, especially during the rise of dictator Sani Abacha. Rumors were also spreading that he was suffering from an illness for which he was refusing treatment. On 3 August 1997, Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, already a prominent AIDS activist and former Minister of Health, stunned the nation by announcing his younger brother's death a day earlier from Kaposi's sarcoma brought on by AIDS. (Their younger brother Beko was in jail at this time at the hand of Abacha for political activity). More than a million people attended Fela's funeral at the site of the old Shrine compound. A new Africa Shrine has opened since Fela's death in a different section of Lagos under the supervision of his son Femi Kuti.

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He Miss Road
Fela Kuti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hun hun hun hun hun-un hun
Hun hun hun hun hun hun-un hun hun hun
Ah ah ah ah-ah, hun hun hun-un hun hun hun
Hun hun hun
Gentleman
He carry him cloth
He carry am go for shoe-maker
(Chorus): He miss road
Oh yes! He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Ah ah-ah
Accuse wey fight lawyer
He give him case to prosecutor
(Chorus): He miss road, oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go-go for prison
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go-go for jail
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Ah ah-ah
Driver, wey enter one way
He go jam magistrate for road
(Chorus): He miss road, oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Hi miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go pay fine
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go-go- for jail
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Ah ah-ah
Musician wey carry him band
He play for union of deaf-and-dumb
(Chorus): He miss road, oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Hi miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go play for nothing
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go play for nothing
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Ah ah-ah
Gorilla, when run from bush
Enter Lagos, he enter bus
(Chorus): He miss road, oh yes
He miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
Hi miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
He go cause confusion
(Chorus): Oh yes
Driver go stop
(Chorus): Oh yes
Bus go break
(Chorus): Oh yes
Passenger go scatter
(Chorus): Oh yes
I say he miss road
(Chorus): Oh yes
If you miss road
Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I don't want your trouble
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
Don't find my trouble
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
If you miss road
Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I don't want your trouble
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
Don't find my trouble
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
I beg you
(Chorus): Don't come my way
Ah ha!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Fela Kuti's song He Miss Road satirizes the behavior of people who constantly make poor decisions that lead to negative consequences. The chorus "He miss road, oh yes" points out the idea that the actions of the individual in question are representative of someone who continually missteps in life. The opening lines are gibberish, and one might presume, represent the chaos created when someone misses the designated road or path. Following this, Fela Kuti presents different scenarios of people who have "missed road." Through these examples, Fela Kuti addresses issues such as corruption, poor judgment, and a disregard for societal norms.

He begins with a gentleman who loses his cloth to the shoe-maker, which can be an expensive mishap in a Lagos marketplace. He also makes reference to a lawyer's altercation with an accused person, which leads to a courtroom misunderstanding that can affect the outcome of the case. The song also mentions how public transport drivers and musicians who join the wrong platform miss road and face unpleasant consequences. Fela Kuti suggests that anyone who misses road should stay away from him, possibly indicating that he would choose not to associate with a person who consistently makes bad choices.

He Miss Road is a commentary on the state of the Nigerian society in the 1970s. It highlights the struggles that the population faced in navigating a corrupt government and an uncertain economy. The lyrics of He Miss Road are somewhat timeless, reflecting the generation after generation of leaders, politicians, and ordinary citizens who have lost their way, leading to chaos and confusion.

Line by Line Meaning

Hun hun hun hun hun-un hun
Repeating this sound to emphasize a negative judgment of the person being described

Hun hun hun hun hun hun-un hun hun hun
Further emphasizing the negative judgment

Ah ah ah ah-ah, hun hun hun-un hun hun hun
Making a sound of disbelief, then returning to the negative judgment

Hun hun hun
Continuing the negative judgment

Gentleman
Mockingly referring to the person being described

He carry him cloth
Describing an action the person took

He carry am go for shoe-maker
Describing where the person took their item for repair

(Chorus): He miss road Oh yes! He miss road
Repeating the chorus to emphasize that the person messed up

Accuse wey fight lawyer
Describing another negative action taken by the person

He give him case to prosecutor
Describing the outcome of the previous action

He go-go for prison
Describing a consequence of the person's actions

He go-go for jail
Further describing the consequence

Driver, wey enter one way
Describing the negligent action of another person

He go jam magistrate for road
Describing the consequence of the other person's action

He go play for nothing
Describing a consequence of a musician's action

Gorilla, when run from bush Enter Lagos, he enter bus
Telling a humorous story of an animal entering civilization

(Chorus): Don't come my way I beg you
Asking the person to stay away to avoid trouble

I don't want your trouble
Further explaining the request for the person to stay away

Don't find my trouble
Repeating the request in a different way

Ah ha!
An exclamation of relief or finality, perhaps indicating the story is over

Contributed by Elliot H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Fela Kuti – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, piano, vocals, arrangement, composer, producer
Africa 70

Tony Allen – lead drums
Henry Kofi – lead congas
Nicholas Addo – additional congas
Issac Olaleye – maracas
James Abayomi – sticks
Christopher Uwaifor – tenor saxophone
Lekan Animashaun – baritone saxophone
Tunde Williams – trumpet, solo
Ukem Stephen – 2nd trumpet
Ogene Kologbo – tenor guitar
Leke Benson – rhythm guitar
Franco Aboddy – bass guitar