Yeni Kuti, the daughter of late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has said that her father’s legacy taught her to boldly own her identity as an African woman.
Yeni noted that growing up under Fela’s influence shaped her perception of culture, pride and purpose. She said, “My father’s legacy for me as an African woman is to be proud and to be African. It made me learn how to own my culture. I am very proud of my father. I also think his legacy is a testimonial to hard work. For the young people coming up, I’ll say, know your craft and put in the work.”
On the evolution of Afrobeats, Yeni noted that while the modern sound has taken cues from Fela’s afrobeat, it has become a global source of inspiration in its own right. “Afrobeats has taken pieces of afrobeat and built on it. It’s just inspirational music for them,” she said.
She also reflected on the enduring bond between Fela’s music and the French cultural scene. According to her, “Fela started his early tours in France, so they have always supported him. The French Ministry of Culture and Tourism has always supported Fela and his work, so I’m not surprised that they still celebrate him today.”
When asked what her father’s legacy means to her personally, Yeni responded, “He would be very happy to see how far things have come. I don’t know exactly what I took after him, but I am proud to be a Kuti.”
Speaking further, the dancer and founder of the Felabration festival noted that Fela’s music remains a tool for political expression and societal change. “Fela used his music as a tool for political resistance. He sang about the wrongs in our society and used his art to challenge injustice,” she said.
Yeni also expressed optimism that the next generation of Nigerian artistes will eventually mature into more conscious music. “Fela used his music to talk about wrongs in our society. The younger ones would pick it up as they go. Right now, they are still singing about love and sex, which is understandable, because they are young.”
