
Legendary Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, who created afrobeat along with his old bandmate Fela Kuti, died suddenly at the age of 79 in Paris on Thursday, his manager said.
“We don’t know the exact cause of death,” manager Eric Trosset said, adding it was not linked to the coronavirus.
“He was in great shape, it was quite sudden. I spoke to him at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT), then two hours later he was sick and taken to Pompidou hospital where he died.”
Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti’s band Africa ’70 in the 1960s and 1970s.
During that time the pair created afrobeat, combining West African musical styles such as highlife and fuji music with American imports jazz and funk. Afrobeat went on to become one of the totemic genres of 20th-century African music.
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Over Tony Allen’s thrilling beat, Fela laid out his revolutionary and pan-African message with afrobeat, which led him to become one of the abiding icons of the struggle for freedom across the continent.
Allen and Fela recorded around 40 albums together in Africa ’70, before parting ways after a mythic 26-year collaboration.
Such was the hole that Allen left in his band, Fela needed four drummers to replace him. Allen taught himself to play drums from the age of 18, drawing inspiration from American jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as well as contemporary African music.
He remained hugely influential and beloved by generations of musicians. British musician and producer Brian Eno have called Allen “perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived”.
Allen was the drummer in the supergroup The Good, the Bad & the Queen, also featuring Blur singer Damon Albarn and The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, which released its second album in 2018. He lived in the Paris suburb Courbevoie.
These are people who has held our culture to it prestige
Exactly
Yeah
Yes
6he us hon😓😓
Exactly
Yeah
Yes
Yes
Rest in peace
Ameen
Yesoo
Rest in peace legend of our time.
Another great gone
Great man!!
Rip
True
Rip
Amen
Rip
Amen
An icon is gone
Yes indeed
So sad
Rest in peace
Amen
Rest in peace
Rip
Amen
Rip
Amen
RIP
Amen
Rest in peace
Amen
Rip
Amen
Tried his best
May his soul gentle rest in peace
Amen
Yea
He is indeed a legend
He has tried a lot
Death is inevitable
Yes sir
Yeah
Is turn by turn
That’s right
Yes everyone will surely test it
Rest in peace without pandemic
Amen
Rip
Amen
May his soul rest in peace
Amen
He is great
Amen
rest in peace sir,a legend is gone
Amen
May he rest in peace
Rest well man 👨
Amen
RIP PAPA
Rip
Amen
Rest I peace. An icon is gone
Rest in peace. An icon is gone
Rest in peace
Amen
Respect sir
Rest in peace sir
Amen
Yh
Nice to know
Rel st in the blossom of the Lord
Amen
RIP
Amen
May he rest in peace
Amen
Rip
Amen
Rip lyrical mentor
Amen
I hail oo
🥺🥺RIP SIR
Amen
Rip
Amen
Great man
Yeah
Rest in peace
Amen
Rest in peace great man 🙏
Legendary drumsetter
Amen
Our legend has gone
Rip
Amen
Rip, a legend is gone
Amen
God be with his families and soul
Amen
God keeps his soul
RIP
Amen
Rip sir ……..😭😭
Amen
What a great loss
May God be with the family
Amen
So sad
RIP
Amen
Rest in peace
Amen
Rip
Amen
RIP
Amen
RIP
Amen
So sad, may his gentle soul RIP
Amen
Yes oh
Rip
Amen
May is soul rest in peace
Amen
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Lol
People ehnnnn
Rip tony
RIP
Really sad
Rest in peace Tony Allen
Rest in peace
Legendary
So sad
Rest in peace our great icon
Sad ..so sad rest in peace Tony. ..love ya
A loss to the world of music… rip
Death is a debt everyone must pay
Death is inevitable and everyone shall test it
May your soul rest in perfect peace
He made his mark in Nigeria and in France. Good forhim. We will remember him as an instrumental part of Felas success here in Africa. May your soul rest in peace.
Rip…….. Great man
Legendary beat maker. rest in peace
Everybody will die one day
May his gentle soul rest in peace
Maybe his gentle so rest in peace, what a great man.
Nothing much go happen