Fela Kuti is a pioneer of afrobeat and one of the most important socially conscious musicians of all-time. He was also announced as one of 16 nominees for induction into the 2021 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We will have to wait and see if he gets inducted, but it was a long-overdue acknowledgment for an influential artist who transcends genres.
Fela’s legacy has been carried on by his oldest son Femi and youngest son Seun who have both established themselves as successful afrobeat artists. Femi’s son Made now hopes to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Made’s debut album For(e)ward has been released alongside Femi’s eleventh Stop The Hate as part of the double album Legacy +.
On the album track “Different Streets,” Made specifically addresses his grandfather musical impact:
“A prophet is what many of us call Fela
Someone with very special skills to see very far
But grandpa was not predicting the future with songs
He was speaking about everything he saw
Everything that was wrong”
“Zombie, ITT, Yellow Fever, CBB
These songs were talking about his present
Not what was to be
We must now understand just how scary it is
That we are facing the same problems from the 70s
And think for ourselves how hard we must work collectively
To be free”
Part of the reason why Fela’s music still resonates is that the issues sadly remain relevant. Just like his grandfather, and father, Made is doing his part to shed a spotlight on the same injustices. Even though all three generations heavily addressed the political situation in their native Nigeria, the issues of governmental corruption and inequality are universal themes that expand beyond geographical borders.