Tony Allen, the pioneering drummer who many credit with creating Afrobeat along with his former bandmate Fela Kuti, has died aged 79.
According to management, Allen passed away suddenly in Paris on Thursday night. His manager has also confirmed the death is not linked to the coronavirus.
Allen was born is Lagos in 1940. He served as Fela Kuti’s music director and percussionist. When Allen left to pursue a solo career in 1979, Kuti famously had to use four drummers to replace him.
He continued to tour and work up until his death with recent collaborations including Jeff Mills and Damon Albarn. Fela Kuti, who died in 1997, once said that “without Tony Allen, there would be no afrobeat” while Brian Eno once described Tony Allen as “perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived.”
Tributes have been shared by a number of Allen’s friends, collaborators and admirers. Read a selection below.
— Gilles Peterson (@gillespeterson) April 30, 2020
— Robin Giant Swan (@GiantGiantSwan) April 30, 2020
Rest In Peace Tony Allen ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gZm5jJIdVU
— BRAINFEEDER (@BRAINFEEDER) May 1, 2020
Rest In Power to Tony Allen, The Godfather of Afrobeat Rhythms. Thank you for giving us the sound that would change our lives and our destiny as a people. pic.twitter.com/UXcoN3yF5k
— Jidenna (@Jidenna) May 1, 2020
The epic Tony Allen, the greatest drummer on earth has left us. What a wildman with a massive, kind and free heart and the deepest one-of-a-kind groove. Fela Kuti did not invent afrobeat, Fela and Tony birthed it… https://t.co/qXqMAP7QzT
— Flea (@flea333) May 1, 2020
So sad to report that an old friend from @africaexpress, one theeeee GOAT musicians the co-creator of Afrobeat just passed this evening, as Fela said… “Without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat." 🇳🇬 #RIPTonyAllen pic.twitter.com/CQLDjXaoFc
— 🅂🅃🄴🄿🄷🄴🄽 🄱🅄🄳🄳 🄼🅄🅂🄸🄲 (@StephenBuddsBiz) April 30, 2020
