Grammy-nominated Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has issued a fresh warning to Afrobeats artists, urging them to stop drawing direct comparisons between themselves and his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, simply because they sample his music or borrow from his sound.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, the outspoken singer addressed what he described as a worrying trend in the industry, where some contemporary stars openly refer to themselves as the “New Fela.”
While acknowledging that elements of Fela’s work have been creatively reused in modern music, Seun insisted that sampling alone does not place any artist on the same pedestal as the Afrobeat pioneer.
“A few people have done good samples of Fela’s music,” Seun said. “But the only critique that I have is that sampling Fela doesn’t make you Fela.
“So people should stop saying that they are my dad. That is crazy. It’s crazy when people say that they are the ‘New Fela.’ Where is the ‘Bob Marley’? It is only in Nigeria you hear such things. People are wild,” he added.
Seun made it clear that his objections are not about homage or inspiration. According to him, Fela was not just a musician but a cultural and political force whose legacy was built on radical activism, resistance to oppression, and deep social consciousness elements that go beyond sound or style.
In recent years, several Afrobeats stars have been likened to Fela, especially after incorporating Afrobeat rhythms or politically charged themes into their music.
Global acts like Wizkid and Burna Boy have faced such comparisons following their use of Fela-inspired samples and sonic elements.
The trend has also extended to street-hop artistes, with names like Bella Shmurda and Portable at different times publicly describing themselves as the “New Fela.”
The debate gained renewed momentum late last year after rapper Olamide stirred controversy by declaring Wizkid the “greatest Afrobeats artist after Fela,” a statement that divided fans and reignited conversations around legacy and comparison.
For Seun Kuti, however, the message remains simple and firm: celebrating modern Afrobeats stars does not require rewriting history or replacing cultural icons. Fela’s legacy, he insists, stands on its own and should be allowed to rest where it belongs.
“Sampling Fela doesn’t make you Fela…”
– Seun Kuti pic.twitter.com/pMLJmAyc3b
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) January 15, 2026