Fela Kuti Best Quotes & Sayings

Music is a spiritual thing, you don't play with music. If you play with music you will die young. You see, because when the higher forces give you the gift of music ... musicians hip, it must be well used for the gift of humanity. — Fela Kuti

Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela Kuti videos, just to see how he performed. He inspired me a lot, actually, because he was a man of many words, many good words. — King Krule

Music is the weapon. Music is the weapon of the future. — Fela Kuti

If it is not fit to live in, then our job is to make it fit. — Fela Kuti

To be spiritual is not by praying and going to church. Spiritualism is the understanding of the universe so that it can be a better place to live in. — Fela Kuti

Listening to the type of music I grew up with, like King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and experiencing different things and conditions and hardship, as well as the good times in Nigeria, has definitely carved me into who I am. — Nneka

With my music, I create change ... I am using my music as a weapon. — Fela Kuti

To be honest and truthful in all endeavours is an experience, not a regret — Fela Kuti

You cannot sing African music in proper English — Fela Kuti

The secret of life is to have no fear. — Fela Kuti

That is my best friend because it is a gift of the creator to Africans. It is a spirit. Marijuana has five fingers of creation ... it enhances all your five senses. — Fela Kuti

In Nigeria they convict by law, not by the truth — Fela Kuti

A radical is he who has no sense ... fights without reason ... I have a reason. I am authentic. Yes, that's what I am. — Fela Kuti

My people are scared of the air around them, they always have an excuse not to fight for freedom, — Fela Kuti

Music is a weapon of the future / music is the weapon of the progressives / music is the weapon of the givers of life — Fela Kuti

I must identify myself with Africa. Then I will have an identity. — Fela Kuti

I could never leave my home ... It inspires me a lot. — Fela Kuti

We used to play a lot of Fela Kuti in the early days of hip-hop. In my DJ sets I'll jump off into rock, salsa, African. I like to play some crazy stuff and see the vibrations of the people. — Afrika Bambaataa

99.9% of the information you get about Africa is wrong — Fela Kuti

I refuse to live my life in fear ... — Fela Kuti

When you're in prison, you can't do anything about what's happening outside. — Fela Kuti

I want peace. Happiness. Not only for myself. For everybody. — Fela Kuti

The music of Africa is big sound: it's the sound of a community — Fela Kuti

I hold death in my pouch, I cannot die. — Fela Kuti

I don't tell lies about anybody. That's why i win all my wars. — Fela Kuti

Stuff like Buena Vista Social Club and Fela Kuti were quite a main thing to my childhood. As soon as I reached an age where I realized that Fela was singing in English, when I got past his accent, I loved the rawness of it, and the funk and the rhythm and the melody. — King Krule

The Fela Kuti Queens - the band members and wives of the late African musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti - are my fashion icons. — Solange Knowles

It would be inadmissible if I would vent my opinion publicly. Not only could I harm the artist concerned seriously because people have so much respect for me and believe in me because of my musical accomplishments. And I could also antagonize people against me, because everyone has his own taste. We all make music, people can choose from that what they like. Every musician likes his own music the best, man. I don't want to attack that. I don't mind criticism, I can handle it, but most people can't. — Fela Kuti