By Seyi Babalola
Afrobeat veteran Femi Kuti has stated that his late father, the legendary Fela Kuti, initially criticised his music and opposed his decision to follow his own path.
Femi revealed that when he quit his father’s band in 1985, many of Fela’s fans turned against him, seeing it as an act of rebellion.
The award-winning performer also described feeling demoralised after his father angrily criticised his debut album during its release.
He stated that during the album launch, his father walked to the stage and told the press that the album was “rubbish.”
Speaking in a recent episode of the Sonically podcast hosted by Elmo Chong, Femi Kuti said, “When I left my father’s band, his fanbase turned against me. It was like, how dare you fight Fela?
“But it wasn’t a fight. I was lost. I had no formal education, how was I going to become a great musician? I was lost. I was crying inside me. But people didn’t understand, they thought I was doing what I was doing because I was protesting.
“I just focused and said, I can’t turn back right now. I would rather die trying. So, I just continued and I have never stopped since then.
“The first time my father heard my first album at the launching in 1989, he said it was rubbish. He went on stage and said it to the press. I was so upset. He was the last person I expected such a harsh review from.”
Femi Kuti said he finally got his father’s validation years later after he watched him perform two of his hit tracks ‘No Place For My Dreams’ and ‘Mind Your Business’ at the African Shrine.
He stated that his father then went back to the press to boast about his (Femi’s) success as a musician.
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