Renowned Nigerian Afrobeat star Femi Kuti, the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has opened up on the difficult decision to leave his father’s band at the peak of its fame.
Speaking during a recent appearance on the Afropolitan Podcast, the 63-year-old musician revealed that the choice was not borne out of rebellion but from a deep need to forge his own identity and escape the overwhelming shadow of his legendary father.
Femi recounted how, from a young age, society constantly pressured him to follow in Fela’s footsteps.
“Growing up in school, everybody would be like, ‘Aren’t you going to be like your dad or won’t you play music?’ I was pressured to be like my father,” he said.
According to him, this pressure intensified when he began living with his father. Fela, known for his unique lifestyle and flamboyant fashion sense, would often dress Femi in identical outfits, making him appear like a “mini-Fela.”
“I began to wear the same outfits with my father because I used to stay with my mother before I ran away to stay with him. I was like mini-Fela because he usually dressed me like himself. I just thought I should better look for myself fast, or I’m going to be a very unhappy man,” Femi explained.
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This realisation, he said, compelled him to move back in with his mother and begin carving his own path.
The turning point came when he decided to form his own band, a move that was met with stiff resistance from fans and the press. Femi recalled how difficult it was to be accepted as an artist in his own right during those early years.
“The moment I formed my band, his fan base descended on me. It was very difficult to find a good write-up about me then because the press hated me and, at this time, there was no internet for me to defend myself,” he noted.
Femi admitted that remaining in his father’s shadow left him with no real sense of personal freedom. Even his aspirations of raising a family felt impossible under Fela’s overpowering influence.
“Being under my father, I didn’t have any possibility of my own life, including having children. I saw my life in his life,” he said.
For Femi, breaking away from Fela’s band was a painful but necessary act of self-preservation. It allowed him to evolve musically and personally, building a legacy distinct from that of his father while still preserving Afrobeat’s global heritage.
Over the years, Femi has risen to become a globally celebrated Afrobeat icon, performing at major festivals, earning Grammy nominations, and collaborating with international stars.
His journey underscores the challenges of stepping out of the shadow of a towering figure like Fela, whose influence continues to shape Nigerian and global music.
Today, Femi stands not only as Fela’s son but also as a pioneer of modern Afrobeat, admired for his powerful stage performances, political activism, and his ability to stay true to his roots while giving Afrobeat a contemporary identity.
By choosing individuality over imitation, Femi Kuti has ensured that his father’s legacy thrives while his own voice remains distinct in the annals of African music history.
