TheNewsGuru

Tag: SEUN KUTI

  • Coronavirus: ‘If you’re an African, take care, death is close’ – Seun Kuti warns

    Coronavirus: ‘If you’re an African, take care, death is close’ – Seun Kuti warns

    Seun Kuti, the youngest son of legendary Afrobeat godfather Fela Kuti has expressed his concern over the recent outbreak of the deadly virus, Corona, also known COVID-19.

    The quite bold and outspoken music star took to his Instagram page to state what Nigerians should learn from the epidemic.

    Seun also clearly stated that hunger would kill more African people than the wild spread of Coronavirus.

    He shared the image above and captioned it, ” All the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on DEFENCE, has actually been spent on destroying the other, not protecting humanity or the planet. It is obvious that the world is unprepared to defend itself from a real enemy!! It is clear that all you can do as DEFENCE is to blow up black and brown people and destroy the environment. #getthesax. By the way hunger is killing thousands everyday, where is the hysteria on that!! Listen if u are African take care but also you know death is close by, no be corona kill them for Amuwo Odofin ooo!!”

  • People now disrespect Fela’s name-Seun Kuti

    People now disrespect Fela’s name-Seun Kuti

    Afrobeat maestro, Seun Kuti has stated that people now disrespect his father’s memory.

    The singer made this statement in reaction to a video where a woman claimed that her brothers spent six years in prison after a visit to the New Afrika Shrine.

    Using phrases like “shrine gang” and “Marlian life” with reference to the club, the woman said the incident impoverished her family as they had to sell possessions to secure the duo’s bail.

    “When we were growing up, there was a Fela. I had my own elder brothers that were shrine gangs. Two of them stayed in Kiri Kiri for six years. In that process, my father became very poor,” she said.

    “My mother sold her clothes, everything she had. My father sold two cars to get these guys out of Kiri Kiri prison. Unfortunately, they’re twins.

    “That’s what Marlian life does to you. They went to the club, Fela’s shrine. They went dancing, there was a fight. The police came and packed all of them.”

    Reacting to her statement, Seun Kuti described her accounts as “full of lies,” saying he grew up at the club and has no record of being remanded in prison as the woman’s account suggested.

    “See all these lies. Fela name don full everyone mouth. Now this one is talking about her brothers that went to shrine and police locked them for six years for fighting. Does it make sense?” he asked.

    “I grew up in the shrine, where is my Kiri Kiri record. Let me advise parents, it’s your duty to raise your kids and this woman is just as dangerous to their psyche as the Marlian syndrome you’re afraid of!

    “Everyone just dey disrespect Fela as dem like.”

     

     

  • FG still owes my family apology-Seun Kuti

    FG still owes my family apology-Seun Kuti

    Afrobeat singer and saxophonist, Seun Kuti has averred that the federal government still owes his family an apology and compensation.

    The outspoken entertainer, who doubles as a son to Fela Kuti, late Afrobeat legend, disclosed this while speaking in a recent interview.

    He also opened up about Omoyele Sowore, a beleaguered Nigerian activist, stating that his “cause is the people’s cause”.

    “It’s a shame that we’re still ruled by the same people my father was talking about 35 years ago or something, that’s poor. We need to do better,” he said.

    “My father said everything he had to about Buhari. He’s a kind person that you don’t need to go far to find out what my father thought about him.

    “Buhari is one person, you know but I feel the federal government still owes the Kuti Family an apology, not just my dad, and compensation.

    “Sowore’s cause is Nigeria’s cause, the people’s cause. This our demagoguery that we like in Nigeria, trying to make a demagogue of Sowore is the wrong way to approach the issue.

    “I’m a huge supporter of his ideas but they’re not exclusively tied to him. Sowore and I have a lot in common.”

    TheNewsGuru recalls that Kuti’s statement comes after Dede Mabiaku, stated that Fela didn’t die of HIV/AIDS as widely speculated but from a lethal injection.

     

  • Seun Kuti slams Nigerians over Okada ban

    Seun Kuti slams Nigerians over Okada ban

    Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti on Monday reacted to the ban of Okada and tricycles in Lagos.The music star took to his Instagram page on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, where he expressed his disappointment at the reactions the ban of the use of Okada has been getting in the state.

    “Nigerian professionals have shown their true colors again as largely oppressors in waiting. Children dying in the hospital every day they don’t care. Miseducated and undereducated children they don’t care. Police brutality, no outrage but tell them to walk from bus stop to the office oh no the worst has happened!!!

     

    If u wish for your children or loved ones to be Okada and Keke riders please raise up your hand! We know these ain’t jobs. We pacify those we have failed with slave labor and slave wages and we are ready to fight for them to continue slaving away!! #getthesax,” he wrote.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8IsiDtglbn/

    Seun Kuti joins the millions of Nigerians who have had mixed reactions over the ban of Okada as a means of transportation in Lagos state.

    The saxophonist recently said he dislikes people who use Fela’s name as an excuse to be irresponsible.

    “I believe that true love must come with knowledge. To love something, you have to know it. That is why people don’t marry strangers. Some people use Fela as an excuse to be irresponsible and I speak out against it because I don’t like it. Fela did not keep billions in the bank. At any point in time, he had about 300 people staying in his house and another 500 living in the shrine, and he paid salaries and daily allowances to them all. All the money Fela had went back to the people; he didn’t keep it to himself. Fela’s band was 70-men strong”.

  • Seun Kuti to headline Coachella 2020

    Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has been announced as one of the performers at the 2020 edition of American music festival, Coachella.

    The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

    An enthusiastic Seun shared the news on Instagram on Friday with a video of his performance on the big stage eight years ago.

    “Coachella 2020 announced and we are going going back back to Cali Cali!! Swipe left for the atmosphere the last time we were there 8 years ago!” he said.

    Headliners for this year’s edition are Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean.

    Seun Kuti, the only Nigerian on the list, will perform on April 11 and 18.

    Burna Boy and Mr Eazi were Nigeria’s representatives at Coachella in 2019.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B62aIGLghtU/?utm_source=ig_embed

  • No one can fix Nigeria- Seun Kuti

    No one can fix Nigeria- Seun Kuti

    Seun Kuti, Afrobeat star and sociopolitical critic, says no one can fix Nigeria.

    The Grammy nominee made this known when he took to his Twitter handle on Saturday 23rd of February 2019.

    Kuti noted that no President or Governor can fix Nigeria.

    His tweet read: “ No one person can fix this country. The president of Nigeria cannot fix Nigeria. No governor can fix the state. The people of Nigeria, are the only people that can fix Nigeria, you understand…
    Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti..”

    The son of late Afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, recently warned musicians claiming to live his father’s musical legacy to stay away.

    He said: “Whatever you think Fela went through, he went through with his family. We were his rock. My mother used to tell me bed time stories about all the scars on her. My step mum, Najite was the first person the soldiers saw in Kalakuta, she was swimming; they picked her up by her head from the pool and broke her neck! My mother had a broken bayonet stitched into her and she couldn’t walk for 18-months”.

  • Why I failed to perform at the Grammys- Seun Kuti

    Afrobeat singer and saxophonist, Seun Kuti has said that he failed to perform at the 61st edition of the Grammys because he missed his flight.

    In an apology to his fans shared on his Instagram page, the youngest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti said there was a ticket mix-up.

    “First and foremost I have to say I am sorry to all the fans that tuned in to see us perform yesterday but didn’t. I had the weirdest ticket mix up in history meaning I missed my flight and the rehearsals and we couldn’t go on,” he captioned a video of him on the Grammy red carpet.

    To wrap up the celebration, Kuti performed alongside Fatoumata Diawara, a Malian singer/songwriter.

    Seun was nominated alongside his Egypt 80 band for the Best World Music Album category, competing with Fatoumata Diawara, Bombino, Soweto Gospel Choir, and Yiddish Glory for the award.

    Soweto Gospel Choir, a South African gospel group, clinched the award, making it their third Grammy win.

     

  • Seun Kuti to perform at 61st Grammy Awards

    Seun Kuti to perform at 61st Grammy Awards

    Nigeria’s Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, is to perform at the premiere ceremony for the 61st Grammy Awards in the US.

    The youngest son of the Afrobeat pioneer, late Fela Kuti, took to his Instagram handle @bigbirdkuti to hint on his performance at the event coming up on Feb. 10.

    The 61st Grammy Awards will hold at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, and would be hosted by popular American singer Alicia Keys.

    Kuti’s performance would be accessible to online viewers who would visit Grammy’s website on Sunday, February 10, 2019.

    Also, the 36 year-old Afrobeat singer and his band, Kuti and Egypt 80 had been nominated in the Best World Music Album category for “Black Times” released on March 2, 2018.

    His Grammy nomination in the Best World Music Album grouping is his first.

    He carries on a family trend of being nominated for an award at the Grammys.

    His brother, Femi Kuti was nominated four times; in 2003, 2010, 2012 and 2013 respectively.

    While Femi did not win after the nominations, Seun would have reason to party if he was able to break the chain of unsuccessful nominations.

    Seun has spent most of his life preserving and extending his father’s political and musical legacy as the leader of Egypt 80.

    He showed interest in his father’s music at the age of five and at nine, began opening Fela’s shows, singing a select group of songs with “Egypt 80” before his father (Fela) took the stage.

    As a developing saxophonist and percussionist, he entered the formal ranks of the band before he was 12.

    After Fela passed in 1997, Seun in fulfillment of his father’s wishes, assumed the mantle as head of the music band “Egypt 80” he has run it ever since.

  • Why I don’t have a PVC- Seun

    Why I don’t have a PVC- Seun

    As the general elections draws closer, Afro-beat musician, Seun Kuti has disclosed why he doesn’t have permanent voters card.

    The Grammy nominee noted that he won’t be participating in the 2019 elections because he doesn’t believe in any of the candidates.

    Kuti made this known as a guest on the popular breakfast TV show ‘Your View’

     

    “I don’t have a PVC and It is because I don’t believe in any of the candidates and the political set up as it is today, there is no point for me to disturb myself and queue”.

    The saxophonist further urged Nigerians to take responsibility for the fate of the country.

    “Everybody should try and take responsibility for the development of this nation.What is missing in Nigeria is the real Nigerian culture, we have ethnic cultures”.

    Seun doesn’t support artistes who rub minds with politicians, he said It is greed that makes such artistes act that way.

     

    “I can’t go to the bank with my name and withdraw money. I have to work. It’s greed that makes artistes romance politicians. How much do we really need? If I am given 10 million dollars today, I won’t take it.I will take it only If I know it is not exploiting anybody else”.

     

     

     

  • Seun Kuti expresses surprise over Grammy nomination

    Seun Kuti expresses surprise over Grammy nomination

    Nigerian Afrobeat star, Seun Kuti has declared that his nomination for the 2019 Grammy Awards ‘completely blew his mind’

    Recall that Kuti and his Egypt 80 band were nominated in the best world music album category for ‘Black Times’.

     

    Seun will compete with Fatoumata Diawara, Bombino, Soweto Gospel Choir, and Yiddish Glory for the award.

     

    In a chat with BBC Minute, Kuti said: “It felt amazing. It was a highly expected great news, it completely blew my mind.”

    He also described the ‘Black Times’ record which earned him the Grammy nomination as a “simply fantastic album”.

    The album was released in March and it earned him his first ever entry on the Billboard music charts.

     

    The musician, whose brother Femi Kuti is a multiple Grammy nominee, noted that music runs in his family, even before the reign of his father, Fela Kuti.

    He said: “My great-grandfather was the first artiste in West Africa to be recorded, my grandfather was a composer of Anglican hymns. My family is highly musical, there is no escaping it.”

    Seun was further asked to comment on the current state of music in Nigeria.

    He said: “A lot of musicians are not encouraged to develop their art and themselves as artists, so everyone is stuck in this cycle of pop music.”

    The highly anticipated Grammy Awards will take place on February 10, 2019, at Staples Center, Los Angeles.