'Fela gives me knocks because the media added ‘S' to Afrobeat,' - Yeni Kuti

According to Fela Kuti’s daughter, Yeni Kuti, the late Nigerian legend is displeased with today’s description of Nigerian pop music as ‘Afrobeats’.

Yeni Kuti disclosed this during the press conference for the announcement of Felabration, which held at the Kalakuta Museum on August 2, 2017. It marked 20 years after the death of Fela Kuti, the iconic Nigerian musician who pioneered Afrobeat.

The name has been redefined mostly by Western media platforms, seeking a name to qualify African pop music which has taken global recognition. It has simply added an ‘S’ to ‘Afrobeat, to give it a new meaning.

Fela Kuti had coined the name Afrobeat in Accra to describe the genre of music he created in the 70s which was a fusion of Jazz, Funk, Highlife and traditional African rhythms, with a focus on chanted vocals and percussion. The genre features chants, call-and-response vocals, and complex, interacting rhythm.

The genre has been the basis of a lot of music through the years, with numerous Nigerian songs drawing from the influence. But a recent trend has emerged, where contemporary African pop music has become popularly described as ‘Afrobeats’. The new description is utilised mostly in foreign media to describe music from pop stars such as Mr Eazi, Tekno, Wizkid and Davido.

But Yeni, Fela Kuti’s daughter and creator of Felabration disagrees. “It’s African Hip hop or Afro Pop,” she says. “There is nothing like Afrobeats. For me, Afrobeat is Afrobeat, Hip hop is Hip hop. I call it Naija Afro pop.”

They call it Afrobeats. I don’t want to take away from the music, I think the music is love, we dance to it, we enjoy it, but it is Nigerian Hip hop, a different style from American Hip hop,” She says.

When asked if there are efforts to correct the situation Yeni Kuti further explains that the family of Fela Kuti continues to work hard to ensure that the integrity of the name and genre is not destroyed.

“I always do. When they (Trace TV) interviewed me, I told them it’s not Afrobeats. It’s Hip hop or Nigerian Afro-Pop. I always make sure I tell them. In fact, Fela has given me a few knocks because of this matter. So I’m still suffering,” Yeni says.

Trace TV who are partners with Felabration 2017, are working on a documentary on the celebration of Fela’s music and legacy.

“I think the fact is a new population of the world are calling our new strain of pop music coming out of Nigeria Afrobeats. We have chosen to interpret that in a positive way, while acknowledging very clearly and repeatedly the difference between ‘Afrobeat’ and ‘Afrobeats’,” says Sam Onyemelekwue, Managing Director, Trace Nigeria.

“And the fact that the world is now calling Wizkid, and others Afrobeats. We will continue to highlight that difference. What we don’t want is for the young movement of music to lose the power of what Afrobeats is, what people make that connection to. So we don’t mind the term. We are yet to get Yeni onboard because she said Baba (Fela) is still knocking her head for the mistake,” he said.

2017 marks 20 years since the death of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer, pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, human rights activist, and political maverick.

Felabration, the annual festival celebrating the Nigeria’s icon and creator of Afrobeat, has been announced to hold in October 2017. The theme for the celebration is “The Prophecy.”