Seun Kuti, Grammy‑nominated musician and son of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo‑Kuti, has condemned comparisons between Afrobeats star Wizkid and his father, describing such claims as disrespectful to Fela’s legacy.
Speaking during a recent Instagram livestream, Kuti warned fans of the Ojuelegba crooner—popularly known as Wizkid FC—to stop referring to the singer as the “new Fela,” insisting that the comparison diminishes the cultural and historical significance of the Afrobeat legend.
According to Seun Kuti, likening Wizkid or any contemporary artist to Fela amounts to an insult to the late musician’s enduring influence.
“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 too 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],” he said.
Kuti further accused Wizkid’s fanbase of acting out of ignorance rather than genuine defiance.
“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…”
He also criticised what he described as repeated online attacks on Fela’s legacy, warning that excessive fan rivalry has harmed the music industry.
“Wizkid fans are online disrespecting Fela again. Why must you always involve Fela in your petty discussions? The overzealousness of some fans has significantly affected the music industry negatively. Some artists can’t even collaborate because of fan rivalries.”
In his strongest remarks, Seun Kuti labelled Wizkid FC as deeply misguided and urged them to focus solely on supporting their preferred artist.
“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.
