Omoyeni 'Yeni' Anikulapo-Kuti (also known as YK, born 24 May 1961, England, United Kingdom) is a dancer, singer and descendant of the

Ransome-Kuti family The Ransome-Kuti family is a Nigerian Yoruba political family noted for its simultaneous contributions to art, religion, education and medicine. It belongs to the Nigerian bourgeoisie, and also has historic links to the Nigerian chieftaincy sy ...

. Her grandmother was Nigerian women's rights activist

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, MON ( /ˌfʊnmiˈlaɪjoʊ ˈrænsəm ˈkuːti/; born Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas; 25 October 190013 April 1978), also known as Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti, was a Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suf ...

. Anikulapo-Kuti pioneered the idea of

Felabration Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her father Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the afrobeat genre of music. The one-week-l ...

, a music festival conceived to celebrate the life and contributions of her late father

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

to the Nigerian society. Born in England, Anikulapo-Kuti was born as the first child to

afrobeat Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting ...

pioneer

and to a British mother. She completed her basic and secondary education in Nigeria after leaving the United Kingdom at the age of two. She holds a diploma in journalism after she graduated from the

Nigerian Institute of Journalism The Nigerian Institute of Journalism is a Nigerian monotechnic located at 8-14, Ijaiye road, Ogba in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria. The institute is a diploma awarding monotechnic established in 1963 by the International ...

. In 1986, she joined Femi's band as a singer and dancer after dropping her job as a fashion designer. She currently serves as a co-manager of the

New Afrika Shrine The New Afrika Shrine is an open air entertainment centre located in Ikeja, Lagos State. It serves as the host location of the annual Felabration music festival. Currently managed by Femi Kuti (eldest son of Fela Kuti) and Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, it ...

alongside her brother Femi Kuti.

References

External links

* 1961 births Living people 20th-century Nigerian women singers Ransome-Kuti family English people of Yoruba descent 21st-century Nigerian women singers Nigerian female dancers Yoruba fashion designers Nigerian women fashion designers {{Nigeria-bio-stub