Yeni Kuti Criticizes Comparisons Between Afrobeats Artists And Her Father

Yeni Kuti, the daughter of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has expressed her concerns regarding the trend of comparing contemporary artists to her late father. In an interview on Arise News, she discussed Fela’s lasting relevance nearly thirty years after his death, emphasizing that such comparisons highlight the enduring nature of his legacy.

Yeni remarked that these comparisons neither reduce Fela’s greatness nor accurately represent the current music industry. She encouraged modern artists to concentrate on their own generation instead. “If you’re still talking about him 29 years after his death and you are comparing, you are comparing yourself with someone who has been gone 29 years,” she stated. “Compare yourself with your peers and leave him. Leave our legends alone.”

Her statements reflect the notion that Fela’s influence transcends different eras and trends, serving as a standard of cultural and musical significance that does not need validation through current comparisons.

“Don’t compare chalk and cheese. Fela is a legend, give him his flowers… Compare yourself with your peers and leave our legends alone…”

– Yeni Kuti pic.twitter.com/XvJqkfop5P

— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) February 2, 2026

Additionally, during an appearance on TVC’s Your View on January 22, 2026, Yeni clarified that her remarks were not aimed at Wizkid, whom she regards as a close friend, but rather were prompted by the decision to invoke Fela’s name in a personal dispute.

“I love Wizkid a lot, he is my paddy na. He is my small friend,”

she noted, remembering his early days as a backup singer at the Shrine.

Despite their friendship, she commented on how the tone of a feud shifted with the involvement of her late father.

“He did too much by insulting my father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,”

Yeni said.

“If you have a problem with someone, why are you now calling Fela out?”