Seun Kuti, the youngest son of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has denied that being born by his father is not actually his ticket to stardom.
Instead, he said that being born by the late Fela has impeded his vision and ability, and brought him more stress and lack of big-time fortune.
“I don’t believe that being Fela’s son has helped my career. Yes I am Fela’s son. Yes I grew up to love music through him. Most people believe it’s easier looking in, when you are out. Everything just seems easier that way. But I keep saying that the fact that I am Fela’s son, for me, didn’t really help me musically”, said Seun, who recently became a father after impregnating one of his dancers,
“The fact that I am Fela’s son has brought me more stress than good fortune. I believe if I wasn’t Fela’s son, with my amount of talent and what I have been able to achieve, I would have gone far. What people see in Nigeria is ‘Hey! He is just like his father. Who is seun? Oh, he is Fela’s son’ and that is it. They don’t bother to look deep into what I am doing”.
He said even though he is Fela’s son, it took him 10 years after his father’s death to get his first record deal, adding that he has never been able to open doors through his father’s name, but that his elder brother, Femi, won the ‘lottery’ of using his father’s influence.
“It’s like that with music families. There is only one person that is pushed by the name. The others have to strive. Being Fela’s son, especially when you have a brother who is already out there, will make it difficult for you.
“What that does to you is that they listen, but before they listen, they have already set the standard so high”, he said, just as he lamented that a lot of musicians in the country are just given undue ovation when what they actually sing is crap.
