Grammy-nominated musician Seun Kuti has cautioned Afrobeats artistes against drawing direct comparisons between themselves and his late father, legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
The outspoken singer expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend among some Afrobeats artistes.
He claimed that they portray themselves as modern-day versions of Fela simply because they sample his music or draw inspiration from his sound.
While clarifying that he has no issue with artistes sampling his father’s work, Seun stressed that such creative choices do not place anyone on the same level as the late music icon.
According to him, sampling Fela’s music should not be mistaken for inheriting his legacy or cultural impact.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, Seun said,
“A few people have done good samples of Fela’s music. But the only critique that I have is that sampling Fela doesn’t make you Fela.“So people should stop saying that they are my dad. That is crazy. It’s crazy when people say that they are the ‘New Fela’. Where is the ‘Bob Marley’? It’s only in Nigeria you hear such things. People are wild.”
Over the years, several Afrobeats artistes, including Wizkid and Burna Boy, have been compared to Fela following their use of Afrobeat elements and samples from his catalogue.
Street-hop artistes such as Bella Shmurda and Portable have also publicly referred to themselves as the “New Fela”.
This is a label that has continued to spark debate within the Nigerian music space.
The conversation gained further attention late last year after rapper Olamide stirred controversy by describing Wizkid as “the greatest Afrobeats artiste after Fela,”
This is a statement that divided fans and industry observers.
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Seun Kuti’s remarks have once again reignited discussions around legacy, influence and originality in Afrobeats, as the genre continues to expand on the global stage.
