Fans and fellow musicians have been paying out tribute to afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen who has died in Paris at the age of 79.
Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo termed the legendary drummer “a gorgeous spirit and friend” who “changed the history of African music”:
Ghanaian rapper M.anifest tweeted that Allen “put the beat in Afrobeat” and thanked him “for a lifetime of being quietly epic”:
You put the conquer in Afrobeat. A large. Relaxation in paradise and thank you for a life span of currently being quietly epic. Honored that some of my most unforgettable periods on this journey have been in studios and on levels with you. Journey properly Tony Allen 🕊🖤 pic.twitter.com/1XzkFoeZQd
— M.anifest – stream #TheGamble (@manifestive) May 1, 2020
His longtime collaborator Fela Kuti, who died in 1997, when claimed that “without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat”.
1 of his sons Seun Kuti, a celebrated musician in his possess right, tweeted on Friday “rest in energy and journey well”:
Relaxation IN Energy AND JOURNEY Well ANCESTOR TONY ALLEN✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/4fYxgsdwrO
— Seun Anikulapo Kuti (@RealSeunKuti) May perhaps 1, 2020
British musician Brian Eno has described Tony Allen as “perhaps the biggest drummer who has at any time lived”.
It is a sentiment shared by many of Allen’s admirers, which include Butshilo Nleya who wrote “rest in energy to the [greatest of all time]”:
Relaxation in ability to the 🐐. #TonyAllen pic.twitter.com/B1bsQAWmfH
— Butshilo Nleya (@butshilo) May perhaps 1, 2020
