Person · Male
Tony Allen
Nigerian-born drummer and composer
- From
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Active
- 1940–2020
- Releases
- 54
- afrobeat
- funk
- jazz
- post-bop
About
Tony Oladipo Allen (20 July 1940 – 30 April 2020) was a Nigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter. Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's band Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979, and was one of the founders of the Afrobeat genre.
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Fela once stated that "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". He was described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived".
Later in life, Allen collaborated with Damon Albarn on several projects, including the Good, the Bad & the Queen and Rocket Juice & the Moon, as well as on Yannis & the Yaw with Yannis Philippakis.
Member of
-
Africa 70 drums (drum set)
Discography
Albums
-
Jealousy
-
Progress
-
No Accommodation for Lagos
-
Afrobeat Express
-
Black Voices Apple Music
-
Home Cooking
-
Lagos No Shaking Apple Music
-
Secret Agent Apple Music
-
Inspiration Information, 4
-
Black Voices Re-Visited
-
Lovers Mountain
-
Have Faith in Me
-
Film of Life
-
Regenmacher (Afrobeat Session)
-
What Goes Up
-
The Source Apple Music
-
Tomorrow Comes the Harvest
-
What Goes Up (Remixed)
-
Rejoice
-
Trippin' Redux
-
The Solution Is Restless
-
There Is No End Apple Music
-
Tony Allen JID018
-
LA BOA MEETS TONY ALLEN
EPs
Singles
-
Tony’s House
-
Under the Strikes
-
Rain Can’t Reach Us
-
Oladipo
-
Walk Through Fire
-
Don’t Believe the Dancers
-
Jakelewah (Doctor L’s 3 Years In Heaven Remix) Apple Music
-
Song Machine: How Far?
-
Tony Allen / Ricardo Villalobos – Dekmantel 10 Years 10.1
-
Dekmantel 10 Years 10.1
-
Moanin'
-
Day Like This / Feel Loved
-
Kilode
Compilations
Links
Official
Concerts
Buy
Also known as
Tony Oladipo Allen
Tags
- afro-beat
- drummer
- world
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- ea524cc6-191a-4c05-ab88-3bb5c0880ca5
- ISNI
- 0000000080022031
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 11 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.