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Tag: Seun Kuti

  • I’m not successful in music because of Fela – Seun Kuti

    I’m not successful in music because of Fela – Seun Kuti

    Singer Seun Kuti has said that his musical achievements evolved naturally, independent of being a son of late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapokuti. 

    He emphasised that he, his elder brother, Femi Kuti, and nephew, Made Kuti, achieved success through deliberate efforts and dedication in their music careers.

    The controversial singer said Fela’s father, Reverend Israel Ransome-Kuti, was also a musician but people never credited his musical achievements to his father.

    Read Also: I was stigmatised for being Fela’s son, says Seun Kuti

    Speaking in a recent interview with actress Iyabo Ojo, Kuti said: “It is not because of our dad that we are successful in music. My brother, Femi Kuti is 60. I am 40. My nephew, Made Kute is behind us now too, and he is in his 20s. And he is actually the best of all of us. That’s what it means; it continues to progress because we are really dedicated to it.

    “It’s not just because we are Fela’s children. I mean, nobody says Fela is a musician because his father was a musician. Nobody knows that Fela’s father was a musician. My grandfather was a musician. He recorded albums, he wrote a lot of hymns. My great grandfather was the first person in Nigeria to record a song. We came from a lineage of musicians.

    “We even have a brother that grew up in Australia that didn’t grow up with the family, he didn’t even know that he was a Kuti until his 50s, he’s not a musician but he is a creative art director. It’s what we are. We are creative people. So, when people say we are successful musicians because we are Fela’s children, they are just being half clever.”

  • I was stigmatised for being Fela’s son, says Seun Kuti

    I was stigmatised for being Fela’s son, says Seun Kuti

    Grammy-nominated singer, Seun Kuti has recounted how he suffered stigmatisation while growing up for being the son of the late Afrobeats legend, Fela Anikulapokuti.

    In a recent interview with actress Iyabo Ojo, Kuti said his paternity also affected his relationship, stressing that he couldn’t go to his girlfriend’s father’s house.

    He said the stigmatisation was appalling because his late father didn’t do anything to warrant it.

    Kuti said: “Growing up, I was stigmatised for being Fela’s son. I couldn’t even enter my girlfriend’s father’s house. Even on the street, people would always point at me and say, ‘See Fela pikin.’ It was annoying because my father didn’t do anything.

    Read Also: Why I don’t believe in God – Seun Kuti

    “Now, these killers, murderers, corrupt thieves that their actions are killing millions of Nigerians every day, you are willing to be in a party with them and hail them. We need to check ourselves.”

  • Why I don’t believe in God – Seun Kuti

    Why I don’t believe in God – Seun Kuti

    Controversial Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has explained why he doesn’t believe in God. 

    Seun made this known in an interview with Hiptv on Friday, December 15.

    According to him, he does not believe in the concept that God created the world.

    He said: “I don’t believe in God. I don’t believe in the concept of this guy watching everyone’s and he will judge you when you die.

    “I don’t believe in the concept that people believe in God. I don’t believe that there is something responsible for the creation of the world.

    “I mean who wants to create this? If someone actually created this, are we supposed to be giving the person credit?

    “80 percent of human beings are living in hunger and we are supposed to be his most prized possession. There is something but not the way we are told that it is.”

  • Lagos is a white man’s land – Seun Kuti reveals

    Lagos is a white man’s land – Seun Kuti reveals

    Grammy-nominated afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has emphatically stated that “Lagos is white man’s land.”

     According to him, the actual owners are foreigners who own the majority of the city’s real estate and wealth.

    He said this is contrary to the recent trend of various Nigerian ethnic groups claiming ownership of Lagos.

    The late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti’s son lamented that the economy of Lagos and Nigerians in general was being controlled by “foreigners.”

    Read Also: Nigerian celebrities behave like Israel in presence of politicians – Seun Kuti

    Speaking in a recent Instagram live session with fans, Kuti said: “Why are you guys shouting, ‘Lagos is Igbo land, Lagos is Yoruba land?’ Lagos is a white man’s land. Go to the Ministry of Land in Lagos and see how many percent of land in Lagos Yoruba people own.

    “The whole of Nigeria, look at your oil industry, who is controlling it? It’s the whites. They hide it in plain sight. Eko Hotel, is the most expensive real estate in the whole of Lagos, who owns it? Is it you? Now, Eko Atlantic is an extension of Eko Hotel, owned by the same foreigners.”

  • Nigerian celebrities behave like Israel in presence of politicians – Seun Kuti

    Nigerian celebrities behave like Israel in presence of politicians – Seun Kuti

    Musician, Seun Kuti has made a comparison between the conduct of numerous Nigerian celebrities in the presence of politicians, comparing it to the situation between Israel DMW and Davido amid the ongoing marital controversy with Israel’s estranged wife, Sheila.

    Seun said that Nigerians and dignity are mutually exclusive words.

    He stated that behind the camera, most Nigerian celebrities behave like Israel when they meet politicians.

    Read Also: Your father taught us how to mock people – Comedian AY fires Seun Kuti

    He said: “All the celebrities in Nigeria behave like Israel in front of politicians and billionaires, na praise una dey praise dem na. Why is this different? At least David isn’t sucking your blood! Who deserves hailing? Question for the gods.”

  • Comedian AY fumes over Seun Kuti’s alleged ‘dog’ accusation

    Comedian AY fumes over Seun Kuti’s alleged ‘dog’ accusation

    Stand-up comedian, Ayo Makun aka AY has reacted to the brouhaha on the internet involving he and Seun Kuti. 

    The Nation reported that Seun Kuti had made a mockery of the fire that engulfed AY’s Lagos house a few months ago. 

    While defending his action, Seun said that AY had referred to his daughter as a dog in one of his dry jokes and ridiculed him during his hardship with the Nigeria police.

    He revealed shocking information about the comedian, saying that everyone in the business knows that AY hits his wife and has a smelly mouth.

    In response, AY pointed out that the more he attempts to stay neutral and refrain from constant criticism, the more he perceives himself as a prearranged source of suffering for other people.

    He had said he didn’t want to reply to Seun Kuti, but after hearing his accusations that he hits his wife and depicts his daughter as a dog, he had second thoughts.

    He shared a video and urged Seun Kuti to identify the exact moment in which he said that his daughter was off-limits to him.

    He said: “Amongst every good thing that has happened in my life and career in recent times, this year has also offered me to many as an unfortunate victim of unforeseen serial circumstances. The more I try to avoid the animosity and incessant attacks, the more I see myself as a programmed misery meal made from the recipe of some collective and very intentional chefs.

    Read Also: Seun Kuti canvasses legalisation of marijuana in Nigeria

    “Before they say to you guys bon appétit’ with a smiling face and victory song, Can you all please bear the hunger for a few more minutes and ask real questions concerning all the ingredients that brought this meal to the table?

    “I promised I wasn’t going to respond to @bigbirdkuti not until he mentioned me calling his child a dog. He also labeled me as a wife-beater, and ONLY God sees and knows where all that came from.

    “For me, children are completely off-limits. They are our most valuable resource. They are the deposits we make here on Earth to carry our names when we are no longer around. Their mothers double as our wives and the very best help mates that we all cherish as men.

    “Having said all that, kindly watch this video, and LET ME KNOW WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW EXACTLY I CALLED @bigbirdkuti. DAUGHTER A DOG…

    “GOD NO GO SHAME US”.

  • Seun Kuti canvasses legalisation of marijuana in Nigeria

    Seun Kuti canvasses legalisation of marijuana in Nigeria

    Afrobeats singer Seun Kuti has urged government to consider legalisation of Marijuana in the country.

    Kuti stated that it is not scientifically proven that marijuana causes any form of ailment or disease.

    He said Nigeria has lost its unique strain of marijuana because of the ban on it in the country.

    Speaking in a recent Instagram live session with fans, Kuti said: “Nobody can show me any scientific evidence that links marijuana use to any disease.

    “Africa used to have the best marijuana in the world but we’ve lost that strain of marijuana that they used to grow in Obiarukwu forest in Asaba and Sapele in the Delta region. We’ve lost it because she didn’t encourage the cultivation.

    “Now, the West have the best marijuana. Germany is going to legalise it very soon. France, Britain and America are talking about it too. It’s already legalised in Canada.

    Read Also: Prostitution a side hustle for many artists – Seun Kuti

    “Has the Nigerian government independently carried out any research on marijuana use? Even in Israel, the land of your ‘lord’, the ‘holy land’, marijuana is legal. In fact, Israel is at the forefront of medical marijuana research.”

    Contrary to Kuti’s claim, the World Health Organisation, WHO, said: “cannabis use can exacerbate schizophrenia in affected individuals; epithelial injury of the trachea and major bronchi is caused by long-term cannabis smoking.”

    People who use marijuana have an increased risk of heart disease and heart attack, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine.

  • Prostitution a side hustle for many artists – Seun Kuti

    Prostitution a side hustle for many artists – Seun Kuti

    Afrobeats singer Seun Kuti has stated prostitution is the side hustle of many musicians.

    He claimed that only less than one percent of the world’s musicians are not into “prostitution.”

    He mentioned this via a viral video on his Tiktok account.

    Kuti said: “Someone asked me why am I wearing nail polish like a prostitute. You don’t know that I’m a prostitute?

    Read Also: It is hard to love, support MohBad’s father – Tonto Dikeh

    “Okay, that guy must have come to this life late. I’ve said it before that all the musicians in this world except just four out of the millions of musicians in the world that are not prostitutes.

    “As a musician, your first job is to play music. Your second job is prostitution. I’m saying it live and direct. And it’s true of me and all your favourite musicians.”

  • My father’s death an impactful experience – Seun Kuti

    My father’s death an impactful experience – Seun Kuti

    Maverick singer Seun Kuti has opened up on the relationship he shared with his late father and musical legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    He said that losing him was like losing a friend, father and family member at once.

    Speaking with popular media personality Chude Jideonwo, he described the relationship with his dad as dynamic different from that of his older siblings.

    He mentioned jokingly how he used to feel bad for his older ones because their dad had become a laid-back version of himself when he was born.

    Read Also: I believe in Nigeria’s prosperity under Tinubu – Tonto Dikeh

    “Fela was a model father; he was very different from the stories I heard of my elder ones. I feel bad for them. I can’t lie. I tell them all the time, I enjoyed it for you guys. Trust me, I held it down. I did not slack. By the time he had me, he was 44; he was always home, so my relationship with him was very different from that of my siblings very, very different. I know that for a fact”, he said.

    Speaking on how the death of his father took a toll on him, Seun detailed his experience and how difficult it was for him to heal and recover from the tragic loss.

    Losing him was a different kind of pain from which he had not recovered because nobody was as close to him as he was.

    He added that the loss was so heavy for him that he grieved for a long period.

    “I grieved for my dad because he was the closest person to me, and he was the first person I know that died, so for me, it was a really impactful experience losing my dad; it was like losing my best friend, my dad, and a family member, all in one. I really grieved for a long time. I grieved for my dad.”, he said.

    Additionally, he said he wasn’t able to grieve his mother properly when she passed away because he was on a music tour at the time.

    In his words: “The one I didn’t grieve was my mom. I had a tour. There was no time to break down. If I’m going to share some of my mental issues on your show, it’s like I think I’m grieving my mom in stages; kind of, I’ve not really had time to really delve into that, but the bad part is past, and I still grieve her from time to time. I don’t have complete closure for my mom like I do for my dad.”

  • My father’s death was an impactful experience – Seun Kuti

    My father’s death was an impactful experience – Seun Kuti

    Singer, Seun Kuti has opened up on the relationship he shared with his late father and musical legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    He said that losing him was like losing a friend, father, and family member at once.

    Speaking with popular media personality Chude Jideonwo, he started by describing his relationship with his dad, stressing that their dynamic was different than with his older siblings.

    He mentioned jokingly how he used to feel bad for his older ones because their dad had become a laid-back version of himself when he was born.

    Seun said: “Fela was a model father; he was very different from the stories I heard of my elder ones. I feel bad for them. I can’t lie. I tell them all the time, I enjoyed it for you guys. Trust me, I held it down. I did not slack. By the time he had me, he was 44; he was always home, so my relationship with him was very different from that of my siblings very, very different. I know that for a fact.”

    Read Also: Singer Mayorkun confirms relationship break up with British girlfriend

    Speaking on how the death of his father took a toll on him, Seun detailed his experience and how difficult it was for him to heal and recover from the tragic loss.

    He said losing his father was a different kind of pain from which he had not recovered because nobody was as close to him as he was.

    He added that the loss was so heavy for him that he grieved for a long period.

    Seun noted: “I grieved for my dad because he was the closest person to me, and he was the first person I know that died, so for me, it was a really impactful experience losing my dad; it was like losing my best friend, my dad, and a family member, all in one. I really grieved for a long time. I grieved for my dad.”, he said.

    He also said he wasn’t able to grieve his mother properly when she passed away because he was on a music tour at the time.

    “The one I didn’t grieve was my mom. I had a tour. There was no time to break down. If I’m going to share some of my mental issues on your show, it’s like I think I’m grieving my mom in stages; kind of, I’ve not really had time to really delve into that, but the bad part is past, and I still grieve her from time to time. I don’t have complete closure for my mom like I do for my dad.”