____________________
Sat comfortably in a large chair at the New Afrika Shrine, his family’s legendary Nigerian music venue, Femi Kuti was surrounded by history.
The concert hall pays tribute to his father Fela Kuti’s original Shrine, which was previously situated in the northern outskirts of Lagos before it closed down.
Femi’s own music awards are scattered around, recognition for his determination to keep fighting the good fight his Afrobeat legend father was known for — calling out corruption and injustice in Africa’s most populous nation.
Part of a family defined by its determination to speak defiantly about what was going on around them — whether through lyrics or protest or both — Femi Kuti, however, is ready to turn inward, and focus on the “virtues that have guided me in my life”, he told AFP in a recent interview.
Those reflections will be apparent in the 62-year-old’s upcoming album, “Journey Through Life,” his 13th record, set to release on April 25.
In his forthcoming album, he performs songs like “the guidance I offer myself leading up to my current state,” he explained. For instance, the lead single is “non-political” in nature.
However, audiences shouldn’t anticipate a member of the Kuti family abandoning politics entirely.
On April 6, 2025, Femi Kuti will perform at the New Afrika Shrine located in Ikeja, Lagos. (AFP)
From Afrobeat to Afrobeats
The elder Kuti came to define Afrobeat, the 70s-era jazz- and funk-inspired genre that would later give birth to the modern, R&B-inspired Afrobeats — plural — style shaking up the global music industry today.
He was also a poster child of protest — using his lyrics to call out government abuses, even under brutal military juntas that ran Nigeria off and on before its latest transition to democracy in 1999, two years after his death from AIDS.
In the meantime, Femi Kuti’s grandmother was an advocate for women’s rights and independence.
It could be assumed, therefore, that the principles guiding Femi Kuti’s work would have a political dimension—although he has moderated his views on precisely how much influence music can exert.
He once mentioned that his father believed music to be a weapon. However, I view music as a tool for bringing about change without being the essence of our being,” he explained. “Organizations remain essential.
Ultimately, the senior Kuti faced repeated beatings and imprisonment at the hands of authorities – achieving only partial success in his efforts. While democracy may have taken root over time, eradicating the corruption he denounced remains a challenging task.
“Reflecting on myself leads me to wonder if changing the world is truly achievable. However, one certainty I have is that I can transform myself into a better individual,” Kuti stated to AFP.
New songs, same struggles
Over the past forty years, Femi Kuti has carried forward both the activism and musical legacy of his father.
Alongside his son Made and brother Seun, he maintains the New Afrika Shrine as a lively, dance-inducing spot every Sunday evening and continues to perform globally.
Kuti assured that the album remains “highly political,” and he also intends to express some personal views in it.
For 38 years, I have been performing politically charged songs, but things haven’t really improved. In Nigeria, the situation has actually deteriorated.
Political figures must put an end to corruption,” he stated. “Everyone believes that success can only be achieved through corrupt means.
“The health care — nothing seems to work,” he stated.
We cannot budget for quality schooling (for children).
In these times, he is not likely to face defeat or imprisonment as his father did — an experience that traumatized his family during his upbringing, he mentioned.
Although the current political landscape isn’t always favorable for musicians as well.
Earlier this month, broadcasting regulators prohibited “Tell Your Papa” by Eedris Abdulkareem from being aired due to its criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s approach to managing the nation’s economy and security issues.
The administration is pushing for tough—though essential, they claim—economic changes, while unrest caused by extremist organizations persists as a threat to the nation’s northern region.
“It will probably be very hard for me to not talk on political subjects,” Kuti admitted, before an electrifying live performance at an all-night show.
“I’ve lived it all my life with my father”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).