As "FELA" the musical about the Nigerian legend makes its' way around the world on tour, real life "FELA" and inspirational true life stories come to lite. The son of "FELA', Femi was born in London to Fela and Remi Kuti and grew up in the former Nigerian capital, Lagos. Femi moved from his Mother's home to eventually become a member of his father "FELA's" band. While on tour Femi is pictured with a daughter named Fela after his father, and the story of "FELA" lives on in this very inspiring true story by a Mother touched by "FELA".
Femi is a renowned artist in his own right with a distinctive, colorful and balanced style. After a short spell at Motown, Femi took on the Afrobeat sound with his first international album (Shoki Shoki). Returning to Lagos, Nigeria he worked on rebuilding the new Shrine (please she old Shrine pictured in slideshow at "FELA"). The Shrine was the original home of Fela’s band.
Femi felt he needed to go back to his roots, to the origins of this burning feeling inside him which had fired all his work, and going back to the studio where he had produced his first recordings with his father and his solo album Shoki Shoki. Decca Studio, soon to become Afrodisia Records in the '70s, was the experimenting ground for most Nigerian masterpieces of the time, including those of Fela. Now, the 48-year old musician and composer has become a true African Ambassador, in its most honorable sense.
Femi recently went to New York to see the famous and very successful Broadway musical about "FELA", where he also got to appear on stage, invited by the actors at the end of the show. "It's truly extraordinary, they really understood my father's struggle and his mindset. This show has got to travel the world, and come down to the Shrine," he says naturally.
Below is a Mother's true story. Her name the same as "FELA's" son Femi. How ironic that a person with the name of "FELA's" son would name her own child after the legendary artists "FELA" and so the inspiring journey of "FELA" lives on in what's in a name?
What's in a name? The story below is kept as written from a Mother who has the same name of "FELA's" son, Femi. Later in life Femi and Fela would meet "FELA's" real son Femi while in concert during his Miami tour. (Seen pictures together in slideshow). Now the story of "FELA" lives on through naming our children after a legend. What's in a name? Well read below...
"Fela Mi! (My Fela). Some forty plus years ago, blessed with the pending arrival of our firstborn my husband and I decided it did not matter the sex of the child, we would name our baby "Fela".
On birthing day, he was told, Mr. Browne you have a son. But I had natural childbirth and was quite alert and knew we were blessed with a girl. When I told him otherwise, he spun on his heels saying “this is serious” in his very Nigerian accent, but came back smiling anyway.
If he was disappointed, he did not show it. We had a daughter whose name would be Ms. Fela Folana Browne. Named after Fela Ransome Kuti (later Fela Anikulapo-Kuti) - the Nigeria political activist and AfroBeat musician and the beautiful Ms. Lola Folana, (Falana - Folana is the actual Yoruba spelling of the name) a popular celebrity and dancer in the seventies. Our daughter Fela would be a gift to us and to the world. By both of us being influenced by the Black Movement and also involved in arts and culture. (He and I were both members of Miami's first repertory theatre, both the Theatre of Afro Arts and M Ensemble.
Fela Folana was a perfect choice for our firstborn. Now, flash forward forty years and just about two months ago, I had the unusual pleasure of introducing my first born daughter Fela Folana to Mr. Femi Kuti, the eldest son of her namesake "FELA". I recently took my Fela to meet Fela’s Femi. It was actually the very first time we every went to a night club together. That aside, what was even more unusual about this introduction of one generation to another, is that my name is also Femi.
We had quite a laugh about how influential his dad "FELA" was, how ironic that as I was naming my child after his dad, his dad named him Femi. Certainly not named after me, but as I am the elder in African culture, I am considered his namesake.
Just yesterday, Fela and I went to watch the musical "FELA"! at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, FL. I was able to revisit the Shrine…Fela (almost forbidden) night club, the Kalakuta Republic his estate in Lagos, and relive those tumultuous days in Nigeria.
I lived there from 1975 to 1983 and had a front row seat to many of the headlines that were splashed across the theatre set. I experienced three coupe d etates, (overthrow or coup from the government), while I was in Lagos. I remember vividly when the Nigerian army raided the Kalakuta Republic and threw The Honorable Ms. Funmilayo Kuti from the second story window.
I knew the names and the faces. I remember the cadence of that the AfroBeat that "FELA" wrote and played in. I remember the protest to the “Zombies” as "FELA" called Nigerian soldiers, who executed the orders of the Head of State. I remember his cronies who ordered the raid on the home where he lived with his mother, his queens and large entourage.
My daughter Fela saw for the first time, the influence her namesake had on a country, some of the reasons why her Dad and I chose to bring our girls to grow up in America. Fela saw why we were never sorry that we named our firstborn "Fela!". Is she anything like her namesake? Well, not as famous yet. But Fela is just as feisty, creative, outspoken, beautiful as the male "FELA". Fela may have called her, a real Queen. But much more, as her name implies, she is (one who was born to shine lucky) and best of all, she is our "FELA". Femi Folami-Browne.
"I do hope people will follow "FELA"! It is a wonderful story worth seeing and the "FELA" World Touring Cast was great!" Femi Folami-Browne.
"I'm happy you enjoyed talking to my mom. She full of info regarding Africa. The play was AWESOME!! I can't even put it into words! It was like a spirit possessed me." Fela Browne. (daughter of Femi Folami-Browne). Now it is your chance to witness "Fela" like never before. Visit www.felaonbroadway.com for current National Tour Schedule.
Cleveland, OH Palace Theater: April 2, 2013 through April 4, 2013.
Buffalo, NY Shea's Performing Arts: April 5, through April 6, 2013.
Tucson, AZ UA Centennial Hall: April 12, through April 13, 2013.
Tempe, AZ The Gammage: April 23, through April 24, 2013.
Los Angeles, CA Ahmanson Theatre: April 25, through May 5, 2013.
Dallas, TX Winspear Opera House: May 7, through May 19, 2013.
Seattle, WA The Paramount Theater: May 28, through June 2, 2013.
Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre: June 6, through June 9, 2013.
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