In The Begining

AFROBEAT is a globally accepted music genre, a term coined, and created by the legendary late Nigerian musician and social activist Fela Anikulakpo Kuti.

For the purpose of this blog, the term Afrobeat will include the music genre, but will go beyond it to cover all forms of African impact and influences on the emerging international Finland.

Ike Chime with Femi Kuti, son of Fela Anikulakpo Kuti - Helsinki 1997  

In the late 80s when this writer stepped into Finland, there was quite a little known about the real Africa by most Finns other than the basic mainstream media's stereotypical information. I was to find myself pioneering the first African music and culture program by an African, on the then Finnish pioneer private commercial radio station, Radio City FM, 96.2MHz.

Lepakko Luola (The Bat Cave)
This was the legendary subculture headquarters in Finland in those days, and that was where Radio City was located. Just arriving in Finland, and finding myself in the very center of popular music culture within a month of arrival was quite exciting, as it was challenging.  

Leppako was a multifunctional cultural center. It housed a concert hall (The Cave) a promotion outfit, a backline and event company, a bar and restaurant, numerous rehearsal rooms for musicians, facilities for skateboarding, a motorbike gang, a radio station, and more.

A great number of people who are leading personalities in todays Finnish media and entertainment industry passed through the 'Lepakko school'. It was unfortunate that the structure that housed all these facilities was pulled down, as it gave way to a corporate building, marking the end of Lepakko, and a large chunk of the Finnish subculture.

  

A sample of the program 'Sunsplash Africa' Radio City Helsinki 1991 by Presenter/Reporter, Ike Chime