Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Sorrow Tears and Blood

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Dr. Stephanie Shonekan (Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dean, College of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland, USA) Michael E Veal (Yale University USA)

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Sorrow Tears and Blood

Dr. Stephanie Shonekan (Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dean, College of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland, USA), Michael E Veal (Yale University USA)

$120

Hardback

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English

Bloomsbury Publishing USA
10 July 2025

Music reviews & criticism; World music; Individual composers & musicians, bands & groups; National liberation & independence, post-colonialism

Series: 33 1/3 Africa

Sorrow Tears and Blood offers a glimpse into the complicated social, cultural, and political phenomenon that is Nigeria.

Though Nigeria is the most populous African country, and sometimes called the “Giant of Africa,” Fela’s album sheds a sharp light on the reasons why Nigeria has not lived up to its potential. While the text primarily hovers over 1977 (the year of the album’s release) as a critical cultural moment in Nigerian history, it also explores the album in the context of a wider look at how colonialism and its aftermath impacted the social, political, and economic environment in Nigeria, and how Western imperialism continues to affect Nigerian identity and life. As we reflect on Nigeria’s turbulent post-independent political and social history, Sorrow Tears and Blood offers a rich sonic and lyrical landscape in which to interrogate the potency of Fela’s message for generations to come.

By: Dr. Stephanie Shonekan (Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dean College of Arts and Humanities University of Maryland USA)
Edited by: Michael E Veal (Yale University USA)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9798765113080
Series: 33 1/3 Africa
Pages: 128
Publication Date: 10 July 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Stephanie Shonekan is Professor of Ethnomusicology and Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland, USA. Her dual heritage combining West Africa with the West Indies allows her to straddle the Black world comfortably. Her publications explore the nexus where identity, history, culture and music meet. Her books include The Life of Camilla Williams: African American Classical Singer and Opera Diva (2011), Soul, Country, and the USA: Race and Identity in American Music Culture (2015), Black Lives Matter & Music (2018), Black Resistance in the Americas (2018), and Race and the American Story (2024).