Grammy-nominated musician Seun Kuti has criticised fans of Afrobeats star Wizkid for likening the singer to his late father, Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, describing such comparisons as deeply disrespectful.
Kuti made the remarks during a recent Instagram livestream, where he cautioned members of Wizkid’s fanbase, popularly known as Wizkid FC, against drawing parallels between the Ojuelegba crooner and the iconic Afrobeat pioneer.
According to him, equating Wizkid or any contemporary artiste with Fela undermines the depth of his father’s legacy and contributions to music and activism.
“Wizkid FC keep Fela’s name out of your mouths. You try to claim that your fake artiste is the new Fela. Then when you people saw that the shoes were to big to fill and people like me also did not allow you to get away with those insults… It is actually an insult [to compare Wizkid to Fela].
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“You people have no respect. I like it when people don’t have respect as a form of defiance. If your lack of respect came from a place of defiance, I will respect it. But your lack of respect came from a place of ignorance…
“Wizkid fans are online disrespecting Fela again. Why must you always involve Fela in your petty discussions? The overzealousnes of some of fans has significantly affected the music industry negatively. Some artists can’t even collaborate because of fan rivalries.
“I think Wizkid FC is the most ignorant fanbase in the world… You need to stop misbehaving. Concentrate on your artist. Can’t you enjoy their music without comparing it to something else? Do you know why you cannot enjoy your artist’s music without comparing it to something else? It is because the music does not fill your spirit. You can pretend to be enjoying it, but spiritually, you are not satisfied,” he expressed.
The comments have since sparked mixed reactions online, with fans and observers weighing in on the long-standing debate over comparing contemporary Afrobeats stars with genre pioneers.
