‘Nigeria’s love for Fela doesn’t run deep’ – Seun Kuti
Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti says the love Nigerians profess for his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is only on the surface.
In an interview on Wednesday with QedTV, he was asked if he thought that Nigerians appreciate Fela more for other things than they appreciate his music.
To that, Seun Kuti replied: “I think in Nigeria now, there’s a narrative that makes it cool to like Fela. I mean I grew up as Fela’s child so I know that the love does not run deep.”
He added that if the love did run deep, Nigerians would support his family more out of a sense of duty for his late father.
“If it actually did run deep,” Seun said, “I as his son would know. Nigerians would support us more than they do; be more invested in things that we do and out of a sense of duty.
“They would make sure that the originality of what we do is preserved and allowed to grow”.
On the Grammys
Seun Kuti, chipped in his opinion on the disappointing results of the Grammys on Sunday night. As we all know, Angelique Kidjo won over Burna Boy.
Having lost at the Grammys himself in 2018, Seun Kuti gave his two cents about the awards. According to him, getting a nomination was rewarding enough.
However, he emphasized that as Africans, we should first seek internal validation; which to him is far more important than recognition from people who do not identify with the root of his music.
Kuti said his greatest regret was not getting nominations from Nigerians.
Afrobeat Vs Afrobeats
The singer, however, refused to wade into the debate regarding the classification between ‘Afrobeat’ and ‘Afrobeats’.
He described it as “an anti-intellectual discussion that has enveloped the entire Nigerian creative space.”
Seun Kuti is the only Nigerian artiste, alongside his Egypt 80 band, that will perform at the 2020 edition of the American music festival, Coachella.
This will be his second appearance at the popular music festival.
