Femi Kuti, son of the iconic Fela Kuti, recently sat down for a candid and often humourous grilling in NME’s “Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!” The musical polymath, known for his uncompromising artistic integrity, declared, “Everything I put out, I have to be able to defend it with my life.” This unwavering commitment to his craft and message permeated the interview, offering insights into his challenging upbringing, groundbreaking career and profound connection to his father’s enduring legacy.
The interview kicked off with a memory test about Kuti’s 2024 Glastonbury performance, where he opened the main stage and later joined Coldplay. While he struggled to recall all the acts in between, he vividly remembered his first Glastonbury experience in 1984 with his father’s band, Egypt 80, admitting to being “dead high!” The conversation quickly veered to the notoriously dangerous 1979 Nigeria tour with Fela, a harrowing experience Kuti recounted with stark detail. He described fanatic mobs armed with bows and arrows, forcing them to flee for their lives.
Kuti’s dedication to artistic purity was evident when asked about Kendrick Lamar sampling a Fela Kuti song. He revealed he stopped listening to other music in 2000 to ensure his sound remained uninfluenced. This quest for originality, he explained, was fuelled by the immense pressure of being Fela’s son and the constant doubt he faced.
“The pressure of being Fela’s son and being told, ‘You’ll never make it in music’ meant my career has been a turbulent, troublesome path,” he admitted.
A defining moment in Kuti’s career, the 1999 banning of his song “Beng Beng Beng” by the Nigerian military government, was correctly identified. Kuti exposed the hypocrisy behind the ban, revealing it was a thinly veiled attempt to suppress the political messages on his album Shoki Shoki. He also fondly recalled recording “Water No Get Enemy” for the 2002 AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Riot, a star-studded session that saw a who’s who of hip-hop artistes converge from the MTV Awards.
Growing up at The Shrine, his father’s famous Lagos nightclub, offered Kuti a unique perspective on music and life. He shared anecdotes of global music icons like Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and Ginger Baker visiting, and recounted his father’s profound influence on Miles Davis, a revelation that “completely blew me away.” Kuti also touched upon the chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere of Kalakuta Republic, his family home, where music, dance and revelry were constant, even at the cost of his academic pursuits.
The interview concluded with Kuti reflecting on the profound impact of his father’s struggles with the Nigerian government and the inherent risks of releasing politically charged music. “Everything I put out, I have to be able to defend it with my life,” he reiterated, a sentiment born from witnessing the brutal attack on Kalakuta and the tragic death of his grandmother. Despite the trauma, Kuti expressed gratitude for his resilience, stating, “I’ve been blessed that I turned out like this.”
His latest album, Journey Through Life, delves deeper into these personal experiences, offering listeners a more intimate understanding of the man behind the music.
•Featured image by PDET/The Loba/Supplied
