Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti is a 2026 Inductee! felakutiofficial was a revolutionary musician who transformed Afrobeat into both a global music genre and a weapon of political resistance against oppression and corruption. Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in 1938, he came from a politically active Nigerian family that deeply shaped his worldview and artistic mission. While studying in London, he formed his first band, Koola Lobitos, and later drew inspiration from artists like James Brown and Sly Stone during his travels in the United States. Blending West African highlife, jazz, and soul, he created Afrobeat as a bold, rhythmic sound rooted in cultural pride and defiance. Fela used his music as a direct platform for resistance, openly confronting corruption and authoritarianism in songs such as “Water Get No Enemy” and “Beasts of No Nation.” Albums like Alagbon Close marked his shift toward more explicit political critique, which often led to harassment and imprisonment by ...