A vibrant event celebrating the pioneer of Afrobeat, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

MUSIC｜FELABRATION TOKYO 2025

The music event "FELABRATION TOKYO 2025" will be held at Daikanyama UNIT. This event, running for an extended period from 3 PM to 11 PM, is a festival to commemorate and celebrate Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the Nigerian music giant, pioneer of Afrobeat, and human rights activist. It takes place on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

Text by WASEDA Kosaku

A Rare Official Event in Asia

FELABRATION is an event centered around Afrobeat, conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo Kuti, one of Fela's daughters. Held worldwide in October, his birth month, official events sanctioned by Fela's family in Nigeria are exceptionally rare. In Asia, these have been limited to Osaka and Singapore, but last year Tokyo hosted its first official Felabration. This year marks the second consecutive year for Tokyo.

Following Fela's passing, the early 2000s saw the emergence of next-generation Afrobeat bands from New York, such as Antibalas and AkoyaAfrobeat, sparking a global movement. In Japan, bands like Kingdom Afrocks, JaliBu Afrobeat Arkestra, Ajate, and Bunvestro have led the scene.

Even today, spaces exist where one can experience the groove through the grassroots activities of musicians and DJs influenced by Afrobeat, yet its penetration among general listeners remains a challenge.

The allure of Afrobeat lies in its big band sound, often comprising over 15 musicians. However, challenges inherent to large ensembles, such as coordinating member schedules, managing musician fees, and securing performance venues, present formidable obstacles that passion alone cannot overcome.

Furthermore, the lack of established recognition for Afrobeat as a genre in Japan poses another hurdle.

The organizers believe these challenges stem from the scarcity of opportunities to experience big band-style Afrobeat, the tendency for musicians to find repetitive rhythmic patterns less engaging, the difficulty in conveying Fela's English messages effectively in Japan, and a general lack of deep understanding of the social and political commentary central to Afrobeat.

Fela's music addressed pressing issues of his time in Nigeria during the 1970s, including poverty due to corruption, economic inequality, human rights abuses, and rising crime.

The objective of this event is to establish Afrobeat not merely as a fleeting trend, but as a recognized cultural form. By performing, singing, and feeling Afrobeat—the very pulse of Fela—the aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the message he dedicated his life to conveying and to cultivate the agency needed to build a better world and future.

Afrobeat is dance music that simultaneously poses social and political questions to its listeners. Creating a space where people of all generations and genres can dance to the powerful groove of a big band while actively contemplating their present and future is considered an act of profound significance.

The live performance will feature A.Y.A. and Yoshi Takemasa backed by the R.S.J Collective. Special guests include OKI, Gen Ogimi, CHOZEN LEE, ARIWA, Mika Arisaka & The Sunshowers, COMA-CHI, DEADMANN, and MOTOHARU, presenting a live show centered around Fela's music.

FELABRATION TOKYO is envisioned not just as a music event, but as a comprehensive cultural festival incorporating elements of visual art, photography, dance, and fashion, with plans to hold it annually.

What is the African identity he advocated for? What are our identities and roles as Japanese people? The organizers earnestly hope to create a space and opportunity for intergenerational dialogue, fostering a growing number of individuals who will take initiative, act, and express themselves to create their own hope and future.