The son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti spoke of his father’s bravery in using “music as a weapon” ahead of an immersive exhibition opening at the Paris Philharmonic on Thursday.
“Instead of picking up a gun, music was the only tool he had. It was a weapon to use against authority, against colonisation and corrupt African governments,” said Femi Kuti, 60, himself a hugely successful musician.
The Paris Philharmonic is paying homage to Fela Kuti by recreating the atmosphere of his sweaty, politically-charged nightclub in Nigeria, The Shrine, which became a beacon for global stars in the 1970s including Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.