Fela was the pioneer of Afrobeat, an infectious mix of American funk and jazz with traditional Yoruba and Highlife music. He used it to rail against the corrupt, hypocritical Nigerian government. Repeatedly targeted by police and military for his rebellious, counter-culture lifestyle, he created a political party and seceded from the Nigerian state, renaming his commune the independent Kalakuta Republic'. Cultural icon of the pan-African world, Fela captivated enormous crowds and was mourned by millions after his death from AIDS in 1997.'