Renowned Nigerian musician, Femi Kuti, has revealed the reason he chose to part ways with his father’s band, the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, despite the enormous influence and legacy surrounding him.
Speaking during his recent appearance on the Afropolitan podcast, the 63-year-old Afrobeat star disclosed that his decision was driven by a quest for personal identity and independence, away from the overwhelming shadow of his father’s fame.
According to him, growing up as the first son of Fela came with immense pressure from both family and society, who constantly expected him to replicate his father’s music and lifestyle. He recounted how even in his youth, he was styled to look like a “mini Fela,” which left him feeling trapped.
“I realized early that if I continued in my father’s band, I would never truly find myself,” Femi said. “Everybody wanted me to be like him, but I knew I had to be Femi Kuti. I used to dress like him because he made me, but I understood I had to look for myself fast or I’d become a very unhappy man.”
Femi further explained that leaving Fela’s band was not without challenges. His decision initially attracted heavy criticism, as many of his father’s loyal fans and sections of the press dismissed his efforts to build a career outside Fela’s shadow.
“The moment I formed my band, his fan base descended on me. The press hated me, and back then there was no internet to defend myself. Even personal decisions like having children seemed impossible while I was living under my father’s shadow,” he revealed.
Despite the hurdles, Femi’s bold move eventually paid off, as he carved out his own path in Afrobeat, gaining international recognition and ensuring the Kuti name remained a formidable force in global music.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Femi Kuti explained that he left his father Fela’s band to escape his shadow and build his own identity, despite facing heavy criticism and challenges at the time.
