Tony Allen
- Type: Musician
- Country: Nigeria
- Born: August 12, 1940 in Lagos, Nigeria
- Died: April 30, 2020 in Paris, France
Biography
Tony Allen was a Nigerian drummer, composer, and the primary co-founder of the Afrobeat genre. As the long-time drummer and musical director for *Fela Kuti's* band Africa '70, his revolutionary polyrhythmic style鈥攂lending Nigerian highlife and Yoruba rhythms with American jazz and funk鈥攄efined the sound of a continent. *Brian Eno* famously called him "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived." After leaving Africa '70, Allen relocated to Paris and embarked on a prolific solo career, releasing albums like 'Secret Agent' and 'The Source'. He became a sought-after collaborator, working with artists like *Damon Albarn* and *Jeff Mills*, and constantly pushed musical boundaries until his passing in 2020.
Tony Allen Discography
- Black Voices (1999) - Album - rated 3.63/5
- No Accomodation for Lagos / No Discrimination (2000) - Compilation - rated 3.92/5
- Secret Agent (2009) - Album - rated 3.36/5
- Film of Life (2014) - Album - rated 3.53/5
- The Source (2017) - Album - rated 3.87/5