SO SAD: Seun Kuti Pens Tribute To His Father’s Late Drummer, Tony Allen

Seun Kuti penned a tribute to his father, Fela Kuti’s late drummer and co-founder of Afrobeats, Tony Allen.

Tony Allen was part of Fela Kuti‘s Africa 70 band and made the following albums with Fela, Gentleman (1973), Expensive Shit (1975), and Zombie (1976).

The legendary drummer was known as one of the founders of Afrobeat with the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. In his heyday, many revered him as one of the greatest drummers to have ever lived.

Fela Kuti once famously said,

“Without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat.”

Tony Allen passed away on April 30th at the age of 79 years but according to his manager, the cause of his death is yet to be known.

“We don’t know the exact cause of death,” his manager Eric Trosset told France 24. “He was in great shape; it was quite sudden. I spoke to him at 1 p.m., then two hours later he was sick and taken to Pompidou hospital where he died.”

In an emotional tribute Seun kuti said