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Tag: FELA KUTI

  • Why I left my father’s Fela band – Femi Kuti opens up

    Why I left my father’s Fela band – Femi Kuti opens up

    The popular Nigerian musician Femi Kuti has disclosed the reason he decided to leave his father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s band many years ago.

    Femi, who is the first son of the late Afrobeat legend, during a recent interview with the Afropolitan Podcast, stated that he was under his father’s shadow which was making it hard for him to find his own path in life.

    He said while growing up, people always expected him to become like his father, which put him under a lot of pressure.

    “In school, everybody would ask if I was going to be like my dad or play music like him. I was pressured to be like my father,” Femi recalled.

    “At a point, I realised I needed to find myself fast, or else I was going to be a very unhappy man. That was why I went back to stay with my mother,” the 63-year-old musician said.

    “The moment I formed my band, Fela’s fan base descended on me. It was very difficult to find a good write-up about me then because the press hated me. At that time, there was no internet where I could defend myself.

    “Being under my father, I didn’t have any possibility of my own life, including having children. I saw my life in his life,” he added.

  • Why Fela died poor – Made Kuti opens up

    Why Fela died poor – Made Kuti opens up

    Made Kuti, Nigerian recording artiste and grandson of late Afrobeat creator, claims that his grandfather, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, died a poor man.

    Speaking in a recent episode of the Tea With Tay podcast hosted by actor Taymesan, Kuti explained that Fela made a lot of money during his lifetime but died broke because he was excessively generous.

    “He was broke. Fela died poor… He had the kind of money that could have bought a whole street, but when he comes back from a show in Kalakuta, he will open a box of money and say anyone who needs it should take it. Anybody from the street could walk into Fela’s house. It was an open house policy; anybody could walk in and walk out at any time,” he said.

    “His children were not allowed to call him ‘dad’ or ‘father’ because he didn’t want any preferential treatment for them. Everybody was equal in Kalakuta.”

    Made Kuti also claimed that “during Fela’s lifetime, he was appreciated more internationally than he was locally.”

  • How Femi Kuti’s band members absconded after travelling to America for show

    How Femi Kuti’s band members absconded after travelling to America for show

     Afrobeat singer and grandson of legendary Fela Kuti,  Made Kuti, has shared an experience involving three band members from his father Femi Kuti’s band who went missing shortly after arriving in America for a show.

    Kuti while speaking recently recounted how the band members, who had travelled to the United States to perform with his father, disappeared without a trace just two days after their arrival. 

    According to the singer, the Bass guitarist, saxophonist, and Trumpet player ran away from the band two nights after entering the country. He added that the situation left his father stranded as he had sixteen more shows to perform at, both in the US and Canada.

    He emphasised that although Nigerians often blame corrupt politicians for their actions, all they do is stop the opportunities they had for those coming after them.

    In his word: “My father has been touring the world for four decades, and recently he took a lot of energy and sacrifices to get fifteen musicians out of Nigeria to America and every time he does that, there’s a risk of whether or not the Nigerians will run away or come back to Lagos.

    “This time, it was particularly unusual because the embassy resolved all the issues at the dying minute, allowing the band to travel to America.

    “There were two people, and they did not want to give that Visa to. After two nights, those people absconded from the band, and my father had sixteen more shows, in the US and Canada at the time, and he didn’t have a bass guitarist or saxophonist and before I got on stage, just as I was backstage, I got a message saying, We can not find the trumpet player.

    “These people will blame President Bola Tinubu for whatever decision they made. But what they did was stop the opportunity they had for other musicians who would later work for the shrine.”

  • Fela Kuti inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame for ‘Zombie’ album

    Fela Kuti inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame for ‘Zombie’ album

    Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, has been inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame for his 1976 album, ‘Zombie’.

    The Grammy Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy in 1973 to honour recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old.

    Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts.

     Fela’s eldest son, Femi Kuti accepted the award on behalf of his family, describing it as an “honour”.

    “Our father’s legacy lives on. We are honoured to accept this Grammy Hall of Fame award on behalf of Fela Anikulapo Kuti,” Femi wrote on X.

    “His music continues to inspire and unite people across the world.”

    The Afrobeat legend passed away on August 2, 1997.

    Nearly three decades after Fela’s death, he is still remembered as an influential icon who voiced his opinions on matters that affected Nigeria through music.

  • Being Fela’s son affected my life negatively – Seun

    Being Fela’s son affected my life negatively – Seun

    Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti, has revealed why being the son of the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela-Anikulapo Kuti affected his life negatively.

    Seun made this known in a recent interview with Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo.

    The singer said he was stigmatised, and it affected his relationship, stressing the situation was appalling because he could not go to his girlfriend’s father’s house.

    According to him, people always pointed at him on the streets, and it was disheartening knowing that his late father hadn’t done anything to warrant it.

    “Growing up, I was stigmatised for being Fela’s son. I couldn’t even enter my girlfriend’s father’s house. Even the street, people would always point at me and say, ‘See Fela pikin.’ It was annoying because my father didn’t do anything.

    “Now, these killers, murderers, corrupt thieves that their actions are killing millions of Nigerians everyday, you are willing to be in party with them and hailing them. We need to check ourselves.”

  • ‘My father’s death was significant to me- Seun Kuti

    ‘My father’s death was significant to me- Seun Kuti

    Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti revealed that losing his father, Fela Kuti, was a significant event in his life.

    Seun spoke on the ways in which his relationship with his father was different from that of his older brothers when he was speaking with well-known media personality Chude Jideonwo.

    Playfully, he added that he had felt sorry for his older brothers since their father had become a different person from birth—someone more relaxed.

    He said: “Fela was a model father; he was very different from the stories I heard of my elder ones. I feel bad for them. I can’t lie.”

    “I tell them all the time, I enjoyed it for you guys. Trust me, I held it down. I did not slack.” the time he had me, he was 44; he was always home, so my relationship with him was very different from that of my siblings very, very different. I know that for a fact”.

    Seun talked on the mental toll that the death of his father had placed on him, emphasizing how hard it was for him to move on from the terrible loss and find closure.

    Since he was everyone’s best friend, losing him was an entirely different kind of suffering from which he was still recuperating. He continued by saying that he cried for a long time since the loss affected him so deeply.

    Seun said: “I grieved for my dad because he was the closest person to me, and he was the first person I know that died, so for me, it was a really impactful experience losing my dad; it was like losing my best friend, my dad, and a family member, all in one. I really grieved for a long time. I grieved for my dad.”

    He went on to say that he was unable to properly grieve for his mother because he was on a music tour at the time of her passing.

    In his words: “The one I didn’t grieve was my mom. I had a tour. There was no time to break down.”

    “If I’m going to share some of my mental issues on your show, it’s like I think I’m grieving my mom in stages; kind of, I’ve not really had time to really delve into that, but the bad part is past, and I still grieve her from time to time. I don’t have complete closure for my mom like I do for my dad.”

     

  • It’s good Fela didn’t exist in this generation – Burna Boy

    It’s good Fela didn’t exist in this generation – Burna Boy

    Grammy award-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, professionally  known as  Burna Boy, has said it is good that the late afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, didn’t exist in this generation.

    According to him, all the people revering him today would have criticized and called for his arrest.

    He added that it was good that he existed for the period he did, which offered him the opportunity to pass on the kind of messages his songs carried.

    Recall that Burna Boy’s maternal grandfather, Benson Idonjie, was Fela Kuti’s first manager in the 70s.

    The artiste made this comment during a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in New York.

    According to him: “What I have realised is that the times are really funny. Fela in his time was going through things that, if he was here today, it might have been a whole different feeling like a whole bunch of people from Nigeria who you see today celebrating Fela, are the same people that would have been tagging the police to go and arrest Fela if there was Twitter then.

    “So, at the end of the day, I feel like God doesn’t make mistakes. You know what I mean like the times are just perfect for everyone, you know. If he [Fela] was here today, like his career started now, he may not have the space to explore that [his conscious creativity] because there is too much in this day and age that it just doesn’t interlock with the spirits. Right now, spirituality is almost non-existent.

    “Now, it [the society] is just mostly run by stupidity and ignorance. It was still the same back then [during Fela’s era] but it wasn’t as amplified or accessed [as it is today]. Now, everything is defined by stupidity and ignorance.

    “I’m grateful for the fact that he [Fela] existed in his time so that we can get an experience of the true organic nature of what he was, the essence of what he stood for and the messages he passed across to us.”

  • Seun Kuti narrates detention experience, says Falana defended Fela too at same court

    Seun Kuti narrates detention experience, says Falana defended Fela too at same court

    Seun Kuti the son of Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo kuti has taken his fans down memory lane on how Senior lawyer, Femi Falana defended his father and him at the same Yaba Magistrate court.

    Recall that he was charged with assault on a police officer, an offense contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.

    Seun took to to his Facebook official page to narrate how his lawyer, Femi Falana defended his father in 1993 at same Yaba Magistrate court  when he was charged for murder.

    According to Seun, his mother took him along to the court and he saw how Fela was being defended by Falana.

    Narrating his experience in detention, Seun said he saw hell in police cell, saying that there was heat and a lot of mosquitoes but two days after he got used to it.

    Seun chastised some Nigerians clamouring for his detention in police cell, saying that if he was sentenced to prison, who would fight for the masses through his songs and talks.

    He said that despite police torture and thorough search of his house, they didn’t find anything related to drugs or Indian help.

    The Afrobeat artiste advised Nigerians to be resolute and steadfast and also try to fight for their rights when necessary.

  • My teachers hated me, because of Fela, says Femi Kuti

    My teachers hated me, because of Fela, says Femi Kuti

    Super musician and first son of Afrobeat pioneer, Femi Kuti has relieved his childhood experience during a recent interview where he opened up on his growing up while in school.

    The saxophonist and Afrobeat star disclosed that he suffered hatred from some of his school teachers who knew he was one of Fela’s children.

    Kuti said that while he expected to be treated fairly, some teachers would pass aggression on to him because of their dislike for Fela.

    “School was a very depressing time for me because you had the teachers that liked him and teachers that didn’t like him so if I get into trouble with the teachers that didn’t like Fela they would beat me more because they don’t like my father,” said Femi Kuti.

  • Felabration 2022: Artwork, Afrobics dance, and fashion competitions to kick off festival

    Felabration 2022: Artwork, Afrobics dance, and fashion competitions to kick off festival

    Artwork, Afrobics dance, and fashion competitions have been listed as the three major competitions to kick off the 2022 Felabration, which is aimed at providing a platform for young creatives to attain enviable heights.

    According to the organisers, the 2022 annual festival of music and arts commemorating the life and times of Nigeria’s foremost musical icon, the late great Fela Anikulapo Kuti will begin on Thursday, September 29 with the artwork competition.

    Speaking on the competitions, one of the judges for the Afrobics dance competition, Funke Kuti noted that the competitions were carefully created to be a platform for young creatives in arts, fashion, and dance while commemorating the legacies of the legendary Afrobeat progenitor.

    The artwork competition is scheduled to be held at the Kalakuta museum. With the theme, ‘Fear not 4 man,’ three winners are expected to emerge in the art competition. The second runner-up will go home with N100,000, the first runner-up will win N150,000 and the winner will be presented with a cash prize of N250,000.

    Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her father Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the afrobeat genre of music. The one-week-long event which is held annually at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, attracts visitors from different countries and has thus been considered as an official tourist destination by the Lagos State Government.

    Felabration is held on the week of Fela Kuti birthday. The event features musical performances from top music acts from Nigeria and guest appearances from internationally acclaimed musicians and personalities.[3] It also consists of street parades, symposia on social and topical issues, debates and photo exhibitions.

    2015 edition: “Just Like That”

    The first time the festival was held, it  took place from 12th – 18th october, 2015 at the famous Afrika shrine, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    Felabration 2022: Artwork, Afrobics dance, and fashion competitions to kick off event

    This years edition kicked off with a symposium titled ” Human Rights As My Property” and the session was anchored by Honourable Sasore, former Attorney General of Lagos State.[6] There was also the annual fela debates for secondary schools tagged ” Poverty Is Not An Acccident”.

    The festival had legendary performances from Star acts like Third World: an international reggae group, 2face, Femi Kuti, Ice Prince and a surprise performance by Majek Fashek.

    2020 virtual edition: “Fight to Finish, Fight to Win”
    The festival took place last from 15–17 October 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic rocking the world at the time of the festival and the restriction on gatherings and activities, the organisers choose to hold the festival virtually.

    This was the first time the festival was held virtually. The Festival kicked started with a Felabration symposium titled “Colomentality” which was anchored by a Ugandan journalist and broadcaster Vincent Magombe.

    Some of the speakers at the symposium includes Arikana Chihombori, former permanent representative to the African Union Mission in Washinghton and Kweku Mandela, a filmmaker and producer from South Africa.

    Other activities in the festival included the “Dress Like Fela Challenge” where fans compete to imitate the dressing of the legendary Fela and the winner goes home with fifty thousand naira.

    There was also the secondary school debates, art festivals and other events that preceded the festival. There were also musical performances from Wizkid, 2baba, Joeboy, Falz and a host of other afrobeat musicians.