France, Nov. 27 -- The Paris Philharmonie is paying homage to Fela Kuti, pioneer of Afrobeat - a musical currentthat emerged from Nigeria in a swirl of postcolonial enthusiasm, experimentation and political rebellion. A major exhibition traces the origins of Fela Kuti's pan-African activism and his lasting influence.

Born in Nigeria in 1938, Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a household name by the late 1970s and had toured the worldby the time of his death in 1997.

The exhibition at the Philharmonie's Museum of Music traces the evolution of the musical genre that Fela Kuti developedwith drummer Tony Allen:Afrobeat, a blend of influencesfrom traditional Yoruba rhythms tohighlife, jazz, soul and funk.

Visitors are invited to share the sweaty, pol...