Seun Kuti: Fela’s greatness stemmed from his privileged background

Seun Kuti, a musician and the son of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo‑Kuti, has stated that his father would not have achieved greatness without a privileged background.

He argued that Fela’s status as the son of the renowned nationalist and activist Funmilayo Ransome‑Kuti afforded him advantages within the music industry and broader society.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged Fela’s hard work and resilience when confronting challenges.

The Grammy‑nominated artist explained that his family instilled a strong work ethic, discouraging reliance on privilege.

In a recent interview with Ada’s Room, Kuti said, “In life, nothing comes from nothing. Even my father; Fela cannot be as great as he is if he wasn’t Funmilayo Ransome‑Kuti’s son. If Fela was not born by Funmilayo Ransome‑Kuti, there would be no Fela. You would never have heard about him.”

“So, nothing comes from nothing. But the good thing about my family is that you have to work. There are no shortcuts to it.”

“I can be a Nepo baby but my father is not on stage playing my sax or writing my songs or touring with me. My father’s name would definitely open doors for me but as soon as you slide in, there is pressure on you to meet the standard he set.”

“The fact that you are from a great family, people expect you to have that greatness. Nobody in the professional world wants to be patient with you and watch you grow or invest in you as an artiste. They just assume you have greatness in you and that puts you under a lot of pressure.”