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

What this quote means

Fela Kuti emphasizes the communal nature of African music as a representation of collective identity and expression.

This quote by Fela Kuti highlights the importance of community in African music, suggesting that it is not just an individual art form but a representation of collective experiences, culture, and identity. The 'big sound' signifies the vibrant and holistic expression that emerges from unity and shared experiences within a community, portraying music as a vital medium for storytelling and connection among people.

Themes

AfricaMusicCommunitySoundIdentity

In practice

Example use cases

Using this quote in a speech about the cultural significance of music in African societies.

More from Fela Kuti

Music must awaken people to do their duty as citizens and act.
Fela KutiRead
The rhythm, the sounds, the tonality, the chord sequences, the individual effect of each instrument and each section of the band - I'm talking about a whole continent in my music.
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I'm playing deep African music.
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The art, the greatness of the music, the experience of the music is what I'm about. I think most African artists have destroyed their artistry by commercialization, and I don't want to belong to that bag.
Fela KutiRead
The human spirit is stronger than any government or institution.
Fela KutiRead
My message was 'Think African. Make schools read African history.'
Fela KutiRead

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