SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, (THEWILL) – Seun Kuti, son of late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has stated that no Nigerian musician can be like his dad even though they enjoy comparing themselves with him.
He stated this during an Instagram live session with a talent manager, Ubi Franklin.
He said: “I think most of them are from Muslim and Christian homes and need Fela as an excuse to smoke and chase girls. Other than that aspect of Fela, which is a really minute aspect, they use Fela as a reason to be reckless and rude to your elders, because they are not really rude to the authorities.”
He pointed out that the late afrobeat legend’s actions were his own way of rebelling against the government at the time.
He said: “All of Fela’s actions, smoking weed and all, – Gowon was a Christian, his deputy was a Muslim, all of them were religious moralists – Fela had women, all of his actions were targeted at the system so rigid and so conservative that even artistry could not even breathe. Fela’s life was a rebellion.
“Suddenly when you’re insulting African women that is the time you want to remember Fela, forgetting that Fela married all of his own, he married them and put them in his house. When you want to smoke weed on the streets and misbehave, that is when you want to channel Fela but never in the aspect of liberating your people. What I really don’t like is when they are now taking Fela’s messages and turn it into some kind of capitalist commercial message. Those things are not really what my father was about.”
ALSO READ: Burna Boy, Rema Get 2020 BET Awards Nominations
The saxophonist stated that his father’s music was aimed at ridiculing the ills of the society and confronting those at the helm of affairs and not to ridicule those he was better off than.
He, however, lamented that the present crop of musicians wine and dine with those in authority and they are “very humble, shaking hands and bowing heads” when they meet the higher-ups”.
Seun added: “Fela’s actions were targeted at the authorities. Ascending, never to the people on his level or under him. Those were his people that he was fighting for. Fela never spoke down on Nigerians. Ascending, that is the only time that an African man is allowed to be rude.
We have to make sure that our hearts begin to represent our people. We don’t have to become like Fela or be on the streets and form a political party but your heart has to represent your people.
“Even the musicians at the top, we are still competing ferociously because even up here, things are scarce. For me, artistes don’t have to be activists, you just have to represent your people.”
About the Author
