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Four times Grammy award nominee, Femi Kuti, has distanced himself from being tagged a Fela’s replica.

The Afrobeat icon said although he was “groomed” to succeed Fela as a conscious musician and social activist, he chose to walk away and up until now, he has “no regret” about his decision.

“I was groomed to take over from my father. I decided I didn’t want that for my life. I walked away from it with no regret today. And my father was very upset. I didn’t want to take over. I wanted my own thing, my own experience, and my own success. I wanted to do it on my own with no help,” he told Daily Trust in an interview.

Kuti said he “was never taught music” and that every musical instrument he plays today was “self-taught”.

He said unlike his brother, Seun Kuti, he was never sent to music school.

“I wasn’t sent to music school, I was even taken out of school, so I didn’t finish my secondary school. I was withdrawn by my father. Seun’s mother made sure he went to music school and so on, but during my time, my father was against it,” Kuti said.

“I am very thankful that I am not an embarrassment to myself. I made a success of my career without help from any quarter.

“I taught myself the saxophone, the trumpet, and the keyboard. I didn’t want to be my father. I wanted to be Femi Anikulapo Kuti. I love, respect and adore my father.

The musician further noted that he knew very early on that he could never be like his father or replicate his deeds.

“But I understood at a very early age that I could never be him. There was no magic that could do that. I am my father’s son. Even my children can’t be me and people would have more respect for them when they are themselves,” he added.

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BREAKING: Legendary Music Producer Quincy Jones Dies At 91

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Quincy Jones, a renowned music producer and composer, passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2024, in California. He was 91 years old.

His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed the news without disclosing the cause of death.

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him,” the Jones family said in the statement. “He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.” he said in a statement.

 

More to come…

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Femi Kuti Names Obasanjo, MKO Abiola Family’s Enemies

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Afrobeat star, Femi Kuti has pointed out that his own ethnic group, the Yoruba, has been the biggest adversary to his family.

Speaking at the 2024 Felaberation Festival in Lagos, Femi specifically mentioned former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late businessman MKO Abiola as significant enemies of the Kuti family.

He acknowledged his father and grandmother as prominent Pan-Africanists, further emphasizing that his family was raised without tribalistic tendencies, drawing inspiration from Pan-Africanism.

Addressing the crowd, Femi stated, “Brothers and sisters, something very important is going on in our lives; ethnic problems. You call it tribalism. Please, do not bring the Anikulapos in your stupidity.”

He continued by saying, “We grew up with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, Patrice Lumumba, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

“Pan-Africanism was the order of the day. So, I didn’t grow up being sentimental. I saw good people, bad people. I’ve got great European friends, I’ve got terrible European friends. I’ve got great African friends, I’ve got terrible African friends.

“One of our [the Kuti family’s] greatest enemies as you know are Yoruba people; Obasanjo or Abiola. We are not tribalistic in our family.”

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BON 2024: Madam Saje, Kanayo O Kanayo Set To Bag Lifetime Achievement Awards

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With the Kwara State government set to host the prestigious Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards on November 24, esteemed actors, Fausat Balogun, popular as Madam Saje, and Kanayo O Kanayo are poised to recieve the Best of Nollywood Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2024.

The announcement was made by Seun Oloketuyi, founder, BON Awards, earlier in the week.

With the announcement the duo are set to join other Nollywood greats in the league of Lifetime Achievement Award winners. On this list are people like Adebayo Salami, Toyin Adegbola, Madam Kofo, and others.

While speaking about the duo, Oloketuyi explained that there was a need to start celebrating film heroes in their lifetime, when they can enjoy the accolades.

He said , “Why must we wait till our film heroes are dead to give them awards? Posthumous awards are good, but its better the recipient is alive to recieve awards.”

Also weighing in, Feranmi Olaoye, the Executive Producer BON Awards revealed that the choice of Kanayo and Madam Saje were not made lightly.

“These two are people we grew up watching. They inspired the generation we watch now, and they still maintained their stand in the industry. They deserve to be celebrated, and that’s why we have chosen them as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winners.

The 2024 edition of the BON Awards is billed to hold at the Sugar Factory Film Studios in Ilorin, the state’s latest hub for filmmakers.

Oloketuyi had earlier expressed excitement about Kwara’s role as host, promising a fulfilling experience for the expected 500 Nollywood stars attending.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had also highlighted the studio’s potential to elevate Nigerian cinematography and promote local talent. The event underscores Kwara’s commitment to becoming a leading destination in the creative industry, fostering growth and investment in the sector.

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