Fela Kuti on Colonial mentality

[alexhfckr]

As a white man I can very much agree with Fela, however it's not only in Africa. The whole world has been colonized, for the benefit of the few.

DemoCrazy.

[THIERRYBAPTISTE]

We need more leaders like FELA

[EnterprisingWisemen]

don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the Empire States of America, but I feel the brits had more to do with the unjust colonization that started the struggle that the US has since gotten involved in.

[blackjackcarioca]

The fact is that, for years, nobody produced for himself. They produced to Europe. Now, we aren't allowed to get money by ourselfs, we have to get it from Europe or US while hundreds of people die, from Darfur to South Africa, from Ecuador to Cambodia. They die because white people wanted to. Because white people want them to work, buy and die, like sheeps. Once England, now US. Hugs from Brazil.

[tropicalpenpals]

interesting views and more relevant to over 30 years ago in the UK. At the same time todays colonalism is not white,black,asian its simply corporate. Believe in a sub culture based on racial hate as people love to be the victim at the end of the day the same corporations selling products in the West are supplying money and arms to Africa with the help of African leaders.

[santanaincubus]

Afrika man! Original

[aquino2789]

*not a cigarette, it's a joint ;)

thumbs up for pot

[divinemilkman]

we must return to our origin, no more white masks on our faces, indigenous people please rise, i know we are only few, no more colonialists, no more white washed africans, asians, arabs. We must return to our origins.

[mbamtefa]

4 people are not part of the world

[primusfreak96]

noticce how this person subtitled Fela's "to fuck the minds" into "to freak the minds..."

4:26

[procopio77]

I just want to say thanks about your subtitles, because my english is really poor, and the subtitles really help!

[jhowardwhite]

Does anyone know when this interview was recorded and who interviewed him?

Thanks.

[Thedarksecret1]

Sadly, the colonial mentality continues to exist today. Ask yourself where do middle/upper middle class non-white foreigners send their children for college? They send them to either Europe (especially Western Europe) or to North America. When these children receive their diplomas from these schools they are seen as closer to white and therefore superior. Hair straightener and skin bleaching products are at their all-time high worldwide (Asia, Africa, South America, etc).

[Thedarksecret1]

Indeed, you'll hear many white people, especially white academics, saying that colonialism was good for the Africans because it "civilized" them and improved their standard of living. This was the same rhetoric used to to encroach upon their land in the beginning. Amazingly, this rhetoric is still in use today when, in reality, colonialism did nothing for blacks, reds, browns, or anyone else except instill a sense of inferiority and eradicate the natives ethnic and cultural past. It's upsetting.

[sonofthedestroyer]

@Thedarksecret1,

Stolen also. When you realise where white people came from, you will be shocked. The rabbit hole goes very very very very deep regards to black peoples true history.

[divinemilkman]

@sonofthedestroyer we must return to our origin, no more white masks on our faces, indigenous people please rise, i know we are only few, no more colonialists, no more white washed africans, asians, arabs. We must return to our origins.

[sonofthedestroyer]

@divinemilkman,

Amen! Thats why our meditations and inner visualisations are so important

[divinemilkman]

@sonofthedestroyer no Amen here, only Arokara!

[sonofthedestroyer]

@divinemilkman,

:-)

[sonofthedestroyer]

Nice interview but Fela made a HUGE error. Maybe it was not deliberate as English was not his first language. But he said 'white people taught us everything we know. Which is total BS. Everything the white man knows was either taught to him by coloured people or he stole it'

[mic1112244]

@sonofthedestroyer that's exactly what he meant. The education was a Eurocentric education, regardless of who taught it. It's exactly what Edward Saiid says about the way we are taught about the Middle East in the U.S. Always from a Eurocentric point of view.

[Cuddlykale]

As a keen follower of Fela, the us he meant there was not regarding African people. He was actually referring to the educational system that was in place when he was going to school as a young man.

There is a whole body of knowledge known to Africans outside the Eurocentric educational system. You have to go for a ''detox'' and learn about african knowledge and culture if you have gone through the educational system in place.

[whateverman181]

@Cuddlykale There is nothing wrong with having a formalized education system. Subject matters like art, literature, math, science are not eurocentric subjects!!! Those studies came out of Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Asia. Now the material today tends to be eurocentric and that needs to be done away with. But formalized education...no. Plus Fela has some jacked up views about women and if you are not supporting your women then how can achieve unity and democracy??

[tobalashe1]

Kwacou u need to go back and read your history books. Islam did not cause anything, the people did. And go back to the earlier times. Have u forgotten the Spanish inquisition?

[kwacou]

What about Arabic? Is that indigenous, yet a third of the continent speaks it and practices the Arabic religion (Islam). The trouble started long before Europeans, the Arabs not only conquered but imposed there ways on the continent. Look at the Sudan, there you have crazy Africans, and they look it, calling themselves Arabs and killing people who look just like them and calling them African. Europeans didn't create that. Arabs and Islam started this mess.

[xxinfinity]

a lot of these subtitles are wrong... I think Fela tells it better himself

[Hajtentajten]

I heard Fela on the stereo about 10 years ago and I was truly amazed by this unique person. Can you tell me alfredmadain where you got this interview?

[sky1927]

Fela!!

Truths and facts

[agent9752]

Fela Kuti was the first African musician I ever heard when I was just a kid, and I haven't stopped listening since

[alilapointe1]

lool

[luismurrell]

3:20: "Demo-crazy"- that's a good one!

[osiruskat]

Fela was/is a renaissance man of the ages.

[cladower]

NIGERIA GOVERNMENT

[cladower]

wo teach us now to make palm oil who teaches us how to make all our good food,wo teach us how to build our our house,,nonsense..kolo menthality

[nirbija]

@cladower Whose 'kolo mentality'?

[Linn4Yoruba1]

thnx for posting this. this is incredible - beginning to understand Fela and what he stood for. Gud documentary here..

[babaoriginal]

i ain't feeling dat my dude

[NigerianRocker]

Fela was a legend

but i think he might have had bad breath by this clip

[Portis1Luv]

Fela is so right......African culture is beautiful and full of power...that is why Europe seeks to destroy it to this day....VIVA AFRICA.

[jamaicangoodguy]

@Portis1Luv YOU ARE WRONG AFRICAN CULTURE IS FULL OF BEAUTY AND POWER?AFRICA IS DESTROYING ITSELF TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS WASTED IN OIL REVENUE IS NOT THE WHITE MANS FAULT,BILLIONS IN AID WASTED ALSO NOT HIS FAULT. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GROW UP AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR OUR PREDICEMENT,WHEN IT IS WE AND WE ALONE THAT MUST TAKE OUR DESTINY IN OUR OWN HANDS, STOP SHIFTING THE BLAME AND TAKE OUR PLACE IN THE CIVILISED WORLD. LOVE THIS BASS IT IS SO DRIVING AND HARD HE WAS CLASS ACT,BUT NO LEADER

[BamaBoy205SR]

@Portis1Luv Do not pay the fake jamacian any mind he goes around talking about how the genocide against Africa is legal and nothing is wrong with it

He wants to be African so he claims to be from Jamaca but on his page it clearly says he is an anglo and his speech gives him away he can not go 2 sentences with out going negetive on Africa

I guess he Mad Anglos Are environmental Nazis so to clear up his people name he goes ariund as a jamacian imposter But after all that he is only from England

[bbjaide]

where can i get this video and what is the title please

[cnn101]

Fela Kuti is one smart black man. Whites have always tampered and screwed up the lives of Black people, and even the other races, for centuries. From blacks back in Africa, to blacks in America, its all the same. To all the Brothers and Sisters out there get intelligent, protect your family, and get money. Black Power!

[Xkape83]

FELA U ARE DA BEST

[DutcHcHinK]

I like the african culture much more then our white money mentality ... why we brought this to africa ...

[MakeLoveNoBabiez]

SMART MAN!....

[trmla2012]

ahhhhhhhhhh this is amazing Fela you were my teacher and my shaman

[Kalydosos]

Fela Kuti = BLACK MAN

[omoibile]

DEM ALL CRAZY WITH THEIR DEMOSTRATION OF CRAZE CALL DEMOCRACY...lol

[nursuela]

well, i don't speak english as my native language, and i'm glad he's got subtitles , that helps me a lot!. I would like to see how he continues his argumentation about democrazy !

[cattouf]

lol at 0.45 look how Fela's head looks SUPER Deformed he looks like the elephant man's kid.

[GingerBronze]

@cattouf - What a FOOL you are. Fela is a fine, handsome BLACK man! Get the hell out of here with that rubbish, fink.

[cattouf]

@GingerBronze wettin de be dis wahalla, you de craaaaze. If Fela saw the state of the Nigerian youth nowadays, he would roll over in his grave. Quit thinking with your cunt dumb bitch.

[GingerBronze]

@cattouf - You're NOT AfRAkan! I see Fela as my BRTHR, not a lover. I use words of respect in his memory. Why post inflammatory comments about Fela, you stupid, bitch-ass punk? The dumb bitch is the one who gave birth to you.

[cattouf]

@GingerBronze You are just like the rest of your kind, aggressive & uneducated. You're just probably some wannabe African, leeching off the culture and land just like all those other foreigners. You should loathe yourself for what y

[GingerBronze]

@cattouf - If what you posted in this forum is an example of how 'educated' you are, then the school that taught you needs to have its accreditation REVOKED!! You're just like the REST of your 'modified ape' species in the wild, animal kingdom. I am an AfRAkan. Your pidgin English does NOT hide your foul cave stench.

[themightyredeemers]

yeah whats the subttles for?and if they gonna do that at least make them correct!! anyone know where the wholeinterview is?

[MistaFranko]

He said Fuck not Freak! White People Man. Even gave the man a Subtitle. The Dude Speaks Perfect English to me! SMH!!!

[afroblack1000]

ebeledi and double20, I totally agree with both ur views. Fela is the man, a true legend

[GingerBronze]

Where is the rest of the documentary?

[GingerBronze]

test

[GingerBronze]

Now THIS is the type of BLACK man I love. He loves his people. He is smart and is cognizant of the subterfuge propagated by imperialists, invaders and colonizers.

SELF-PRESERVATION is a natural right!!

Long Live Fela!!! Sending you honor and love from America!!!

[Rafielita]

Why the subtitles? I can totally understands his english and spanish is my first language....

[mulicnik]

from 2:20 or something like this camera is moved a little bit to a right side becouse Fela was smoking a joint and they didnt want to shoot that part.

[ghomsid]

haha @ 4:28 I think he said "f**k the minds of the colonialists" not freak LOL ....

also in pidgin english its 'dey' not 'they'... "poor man DEY cry" etc

but a HUGE thanks for posting this!!!

[double20]

fela doesn't need subtitles

[arielioness]

@double20 exactly......

[osoigbo]

You saw future!!!A Great Prophet!But we continue your struggles!!!

[minazahazazugemo]

YouTubeVideoToMp3 [dot] [com]

[ebeledi]

without colonization africa would be a better place. colonization was like a leech to african prosperity.

FACT i dont care what white washed african wants to disagree.

[GingerBronze]

@ebeledi - I can relate to your remarks. We have MANY white-washed BLACK Americans who undermine consciously or unconsciously any constructive efforts for empowerment within our communities.

[cattouf]

@ebeledi When the English left Nigeria that's when everything went to shit...

[ebeledi]

@cattouf wen the English were in Nigeria thats when the area became "shit". They handed power to one group of people and thats one of the reasons nigeria is in the situation it is in. This same situation is what caused the Hutsi and Tutsi war, there was nothing good about imperalism. before the english was in the place called nigeria it was never "shit".

[CityOfSalt]

@ebeledi : Shit, well I'm so glad you were hear to enlighten us all on the evils of colonialism.

[ebeledi]

@CityOfSalt wat ever.

[anonypossum]

@ebeledi without colonization *ANYWHERE*

i.e., pre-european north and south America, the Hawaiian islands, etc.

but on the other hand, where would we be now?

[ebeledi]

@anonypossum better off of course, less ethnic strife, etc. 

[leach157]

@ebeledi

You are very right.

They did not bring anything good to us. Just as Fela said that in England he realized that white people don't like us. It's the same with me as before I came to europe, I didn't know what were racism, discrimination, and prejudice. Nothing good ever come out of white people except evil, wickedness, greedy, deceit, and etc. Their hearts are darker than coal and colder than ice. They are devils in human shape and form.

[ballymo85]

Difference in the world? the drummer are you high? Can't you see we are now ten thousand years behind? We are now like Neanderthals fighting over territories. More people are starving now than in the past, more are dying now than in the past. Thanks to technology. It's all to the highest bidders. We are doomed thanks to imperialistically minded folks. He will turn his home to a dessert and turn yours to a desert too.

[lagosbay]

I think fela is high

[xOLL13x]

the man speaks humble and wise words

[Shamuali]

thats how much damage the struggle for ethnical survivel has been on all humans.he supremacy of a pure caucasion race as created a pattern in mind of africans and we need to set focus on that disfunction before any other.

they must be crazy-democracy

[Shamuali]

fela kuti mentiones about the experience in ingland "mother of corruption"that having to rent rooms at the newspaper would stand " house for rent "no colored no dogs" that bulshit still happens today personaly ive had serious heavyness in my consciousness everytime i had to go to rent a room becouse in the black mind that pattern of inferiority is still a problem.

[Shamuali]

as long as people still aproach the african issue with the pattern of ( Compulsive Anger )their wont be any break through . anger is a disfunction of the mind.

[rossmeroe]

Long live Baba!!

[Mbeebeelove]

Incredible to hear him speak! Thanks for vid (^_ ^)

[dejoning]

Afrodude, how old re you? what do u know to make such comments earlier on? were u born in th 60's or 70's where what fela saw was Pronounced and evident? the truth is bitter to be told. I will not say the books you read is affecting you 'cos you re not the only one with the western education.

[afrogroov]

you only speak english Mr Educated?...all is clear now, voyage un peu mon gars, allez a plus tard Mr J'ai-tout-compris...

[dirkpdavis]

at 4:27 he says fuck not freak

[thedrumster1990]

his english is fine, he is goin in and out of broken english which is a slang in nigeria! calm down!

[afrodude73]

"broken english" is "a slang in nigeria!" LOL! LOL!! LOL!!! Did you go to school at all, thedrumster? Do you know what slang (NOT "a slang" because slang has no singular and plural) means? How can broken (read: bad) English be slang? Perhaps you intend to say that he is switching from Standard English to Nigerian Pidgin English. It seems that most of the people that venerate this doofus are just as shallow and as illiterate as he was! Good Lord.

[afrogroov]

your problem is that you intellectualize too much brother, it makes you blind and unable to see beyond the form to detect the substance of whatever comes from his mouth or any ironic person....irony IS a weapon of intelligence...wen expose to it, only idiots get offended because they fail to get the meaning....the joke...oh there you are...! I suggest you put your precious little books back on the shelves, get a passeports, breath some non-US air for a while...re-evaluate all you think you know

[afrodude73]

afrogroov, did you write something? Get someone to help you translate it into English and then call my attention thereafter. OK?

[kramer999999999]

wow, unable to understand the argument, regresses to petty insults and condescension. please, don't reproduce.

[thedrumster1990]

and what exactly have you contributed to society? moron! if you had any respect you wouldn't be insulting people who have actually made a difference in this world!

[afrodude73]

This guy is not nearly as intelligent as he's been cracked up to be. He is very shallow and his English is very error-ridden. Well, I can forgive his bad grammar but is he not supposed to be educated? All these media creations!

[abyss104]

This may shock you but Fela Kuti's first language wasn't English my friend. George Bush first language is English, does he speak it well? And he was a president for 8 years.

[afrodude73]

Well, but he said the only language he spoke when he was growing up both at home and in school was English. Plus, he lived in England. So he has no excuse to speak such sub-par English.

[abyss104]

I hear you, but im sure he spoke, Yoruba.

[daveibukun]

Its colonial mentality that is worrying you.

[gasdemup]

@afrodude73 @afrodude73 well i hope you make change because its people like you who love europeans and americans that are destroying africa. your love of english shows that you are the rape victim who has identified with her raper go and read up on stockholm syndrome or google papers such as "the pestilence of imported gods" or check festus ikeotuonye and his nigerian avatar article before you criticize about fela.

[afrodude73]

But I am actually prepared to forgive his bad grammar. But how can he say the "the white man has taught us everything we know." That's an outrageously belittling thing to say about Nigerians and Africans. Not even the KKK in America will say racist crap! That's why I said this man is really disturbingly shallow. Yet he is often celebrated as some super brilliant liberation singer. Give me a break!

[abyss104]

Remember, not only in American, but in Africa we were kept from our history and mentally enslaved. Nigeria was an English colony at the time of Fela's birth, so you have to view things from that perspective. But i understand your arguement.

[afrogroov]

afrodude, you talk so much nonsense....grammar got nothing to do with intelligence, the well EDUCATED, however eloquent they may be can turn out to be the thickest backward thinking idiots.....there is more around you than you think? 1) Fela speak pidgin Nigerian style and he feel free be himself on camera without having to spk the Queen cutting-glass accent (which he can do if he wants to)....

[afrogroov]

2) The well EDUCATED, can often turn out to be the thickiest backward thinking idiots, there is more around you than you you think.....3) Here is the interesting part, you obviously seen enough to read into the man and conclude he is shallow.... then yeah, am afraid you may not be intellectually equipped hence qualify to even understand the concept and ideas behind those "error-ridden" words and sentences....

[geligurl]

or maybe u think Fela didnt know what he was talking about? he was merely blaming the white men for claiming that they wanted to bring civilization to africa and then since our african leaders dont know how to use their heads and continue from where the white man left off, they have decided to mess up everything. so if the white man didnt bring his nonsense democracy into africa, then we wouldnt be talking about corrupt african leaders or whatever. there's nothing racist about what he said.

[afrodude73]

Afrigroov, what you wrote here is self-evident proof that you're barely educated. You're just as ignorant and shallow as the idiotic Fela you venerate. How can this man say the white man taught Africans everything that they know and you don't see anything wrong in that malicious illiteracy? Not even the KKK will utter such disgustingly racist nonsensicality!

[geligurl]

oh!!! so dont u know that the white man taught the africans everything? is it not the white men that brought their religion (christianity), education, their own kind of civilization and other stuff into africa? or maybe u think Fela didnt know what he was talking about?

[geligurl]

oh!!! so dont u know that the white man taught the africans everything? is it not the white men that brought their religion (christianity), education, their own kind of civilization and other stuff into africa?

[tony7tisdale]

@geligurl I disagree, Christianity was in east Africa since the 4th century and Islam a few centuries later. Europeans used Christianity as a means of control in the areas that were undiscovered to them. Why does everything pure have to be European? One thing Europeans thought was that the people of the world were not as intelligent as they were. Why also has Europeans taken staples from other civilizations to claim as their own? So if Europe claims the good then they must be claim the bad.

[kramer999999999]

wow your ignorant. the white man colonized nigeria, children were sent to schools run by white english, their parents are barely scraping by, working long hours, under the colonial heel, where the fuck are they supposed to learn anything but what the white man tells them?

[gasdemup]

@afrodude73 next time if you dont like him stay off his page. bros make u respect urself and ur age, big man go dey do like small pikin

[zambianidiot]

Fela spoke the Truth! africa must change beginning with our own mentalities! Bob Marley said "Emancipate yourselves from Mental Slavery"...we need to stop thinking that anything that is african is bad. Embrace, Live, Love!!

[oye2a2000]

he is a genius

[moonstar7]

Great interview!

[KrazeWorld]

Fela for president!!!!

[AfricansArise]

Great snippet. I love that breakdown on Demo-cre-sy!

[kanyin13]

what is this a clip from? i would like to watch the whole video

[Wavecurve]

Fela was sooooo talented, but his rebellious lifestyle some times masked and overshadowed his genius.

This is the first time I have seen him come across really serious minded.

[henryhansun]

Bullshit! What other singer/performer you know that took beatings for his recordings, not to mention having his mother killed for his beliefs. His whole life was serious.

[Wavecurve]

What is your point?

[henryhansun]

My point is... Deez Nuts Bitch

[irunfasta]

Fela Kuti should be recognized as a great man and an icon in every country all over the world!

[goo710]

Fela would be a great person to have a good talk with about current world problems. If he would be alive today & sing of whats happening around us, we'd love him even more to make a sense of music through madness.

Long live Brother 'O Fela.

[drmikebluez]

This is the sober and thoughtful Fela, serious but also naturally witty. RIP my brother!

[kindu2006]

Obviously, I do NOT agree with Fela that white man taught "has everything we know"; white man taught us what THEY know, - some of which we knew already in different forms. What is more profound is Fela's insightful and great ability to penetrate into the ways the Colonial system worked in order to keep Afrikans in a position of subjugation. His Teacher Versus Pupil Anology is indicative of this assertion.

[kindu2006]

Ngugi Wa Thion'o elaborates on this in his book: "Decolonising the Afrikan Mind: politics of Language in African Literature"

[ginobally]

Great insights, Wole Soyinka said the samething -- He became african conscious when he went overseas.I myesel, an African, came to appreciate my culture when I came to the US.

[kindu2006]

Soyinka has a long way to go toward becoming Fully conscious. Achebe, on the other hand, has always been aware of this important factor.

[gzumee]

where is the original footage can be found?

[zombiefucku]

correction :"Everybody that went to England for studies was a Master"

[CrazyforArnold]

But why the subtitles since he's already speaking in English?

[alfredmadain]

I did the subtitles origivally for U.S. highschool age students. Many have a hard time understanding the dialect and that is the reason why they are not literal and the reason that I changed the word f--k to freak. One has to sometimes follow the rules in order to break them.

[seciko797]

the dialect, that sounded like plain English to me. I think these people deliberately try not to understand us because they just let their ears ring to fascination of the so called 'African' accent

[jokerayo]

@alfredmadain, this is a wonderful interview regardless of imperialism and hegemony ignorants who love the forced culture more their own. Hopefully, one day they will get their identity and be authentic. By the way, please how possible is it to have the full detail of this interview. When, where and with who? Thanks.

[quadrantcross]

@alfredmadain No disprespect, but you've changed the meaning 180 degrees at one point. At 2:19 you write "I saw that I should NOT use teachers as my focus." This makes no sense. What Fela says is: "I saw that I should NOW use teachers as my focus." And no offence, but Fela is hardly speaking "dialect" -- he is speaking quite clear and educated English, even using "as such" -- though with a (beautiful) accent unfamiliar to less-wordly Americans.

[CrazyforArnold]

I am very grateful for this video :D.

[CrazyforArnold]

I love Fela so much. This is great!