Seun Kuti blows hot over Wizkid being called the ‘New Fela’

Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has strongly criticised comparisons between Afrobeats star Wizkid and his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, describing such claims as an insult to his father’s legacy.

Seun Kuti made the remarks during a recent Instagram livestream where he warned fans of the Ojuelegba crooner, popularly known as Wizkid FC, to stop referring to Wizkid as the “new Fela.”

According to him, comparing any contemporary artiste to the late Afrobeat legend diminishes the historical, cultural and political impact Fela had on music and society.

“Wizkid FC, keep Fela’s name out of your mouths,” Kuti said. “You try to claim that your fake artiste is the new Fela. When you realised the shoes were too big to fill and people like me did not allow you to get away with those insults, you became defensive. It is actually an insult to compare Wizkid to Fela.”

He further accused some fans of lacking respect and understanding of Fela’s legacy, stating that their actions are driven by ignorance rather than meaningful defiance.

“You people have no respect. I respect defiance, but this one is ignorance,” he added.

The singer also lamented the impact of toxic fan culture on the music industry, noting that excessive rivalries among fan bases have hindered collaborations between artistes.

“Wizkid fans are online disrespecting Fela again. Why must you always involve Fela in your petty discussions? The overzealousness of some fans has affected the industry negatively. Some artistes can’t even collaborate anymore because of fan rivalries,” he said.

Seun Kuti went further to describe Wizkid FC as “the most ignorant fanbase in the world,” urging them to focus on enjoying their favourite artiste’s music without constant comparisons.

“Can’t you enjoy your artiste without comparing him to someone else? The reason you can’t is because the music does not fill your spirit. You can pretend to enjoy it, but spiritually, you are not satisfied,” he stated.