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, when asked if he thought that Nigerians appreciate Fela more for other things than they appreciate his music, Seun said: “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 and be more invested in things that we do and out of a sense of duty, would make sure that the originality of what we do is preserved and allowed to grow…”
The singer, however, refused to wade into the debate regarding the classification between ‘Afrobeat’ and ‘Afrobeats’, describing it as “an anti-intellectual discussion that has enveloped the entire Nigerian creative space.”
He also refused to comment on the recent suggestion by supermodel, Naomi Campbell, that a sub-category be created for Afrobeats at the Grammys because she allegedly has ties with former Liberian dictator, Charles Taylor.
Seun Kuti is the only Nigerian artiste, alongside his Egypt 80 band, billed to perform at the 2020 edition of American music festival, Coachella.
This will be his second appearance at the popular music festival.
