Nigeria, Aug. 26 -- Decades after his death, Fela Kuti, Nigeria's most famous musician continues to live on through his art. Afrobeat, a genre he pioneered, has transcended generations after him, existing in varying forms. Contemporary African pop stars are sampling his work in new records. Much of that music is called 'Afrobeats' today, (the 's' is important) A new genre, partly inspired by Fela's work. It's the current flavour of Lagos, and the rest of the continent, where Nigerian pop music maintains a strong presence.

But how do these musicians portray this legend in their work? How do elements of Fela Kuti's music get reproduced? Does his conscious approach to art travel through the years into today's hedonistic popular culture?

In...