Son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti has shared the emotional struggles he faced in his early music career.
Despite his passion for music, Femi said Fela refused to teach him, forcing him to find his way and eventually forged his path.
However, when Femi broke away from his father’s musical style, Fela’s fanbase turned against him, assuming he was challenging his father’s legacy.
“When I left my father, his fanbase completely turned against me. They said, ‘how dare you fight Fela?’, and it wasn’t even a fight,” he said.
Femi said he felt lost and misunderstood with no formal education to fall back on.
He recalled his father’s harsh criticism, including dismissing his first album as “rubbish” in front of the press.
Determined to prove himself, Femi persevered, refusing to give up on his musical dreams.
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He stayed focused and continued to pursue his unique sound, undeterred by the criticism and skepticism surrounding him.
He said: “I was just lost, I had no formal education so how was I to become a great musician? I was lost and crying inside and they didn’t understand.
“They thought I was protesting against him and my father was an activist and somehow everyone forgot that he was my father.
” I was in the storm and nobody wanted my point of view. I decided to stay focused because I couldn’t turn back, I’d have rather died, it was better I died trying and I’ve never stopped since then.
“The first time my father heard my first album, he came to the launch and said it was rubbish. He said it to the press and I was so upset. I was like, ‘How dare he say that?’ I was so upset”.
The Nation
