Maverick singer and activist Seun Kuti has cautioned Afrobeats artists against comparing themselves to his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
The Grammy-nominated musician expressed concern over the growing trend of some Afrobeats stars referring to themselves as modern-day versions of Fela simply because they sample his music or draw inspiration from his sound.
While stressing that he has no issue with artistes sampling Fela’s work, Seun Kuti made it clear that such creative choices do not place anyone on the same level as the late music legend.
Speaking on an episode of the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, Seun Kuti said sampling Fela’s music should not be mistaken for embodying his legacy.
“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,” he said.
He further described claims of being the “New Fela” as extreme, adding that such comparisons are rarely seen elsewhere.
“Where is the ‘Bob Marley’? It is only in Nigeria you hear such,” he noted.
Over the years, several Afrobeats stars, including Wizkid and Burna Boy, have been compared to Fela following their use of samples and Afrocentric themes.
Street-hop artistes Bella Shmurda and Portable have also publicly referred to themselves as the “New Fela,” while rapper Olamide sparked debate late last year after describing Wizkid as the greatest Afrobeats artist after Fela.
Also read: Seun Kuti and Mr P End Feud
