Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti, son of legendary musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has warned fans of Afrobeats star Wizkid to stop comparing the singer to his late father, describing such comparisons as disrespectful to Fela’s legacy.
Seun Kuti made his position known during a recent Instagram livestream, where he expressed frustration over what he described as the repeated involvement of Fela’s name in fan-driven debates surrounding Wizkid.
According to Kuti, drawing parallels between Wizkid and Fela is both ignorant and insulting, stressing that the two artists represent entirely different eras, ideologies, and musical missions.
“Wizkid FC, keep Fela’s name out of your mouths,” he said. “You try to claim that your artiste is the new Fela. When you realised that the shoes were too big to fill and people like me did not allow you to get away with those insults, it became clear that the comparison itself is an insult.”
Kuti further criticised what he described as a lack of respect rooted in ignorance rather than defiance, noting that fan rivalries have increasingly affected the music industry in negative ways.
“Why must you always involve Fela in your petty discussions?” he asked. “The overzealousness of some fans has significantly affected the music industry. Some artists can’t even collaborate anymore because of fan rivalries.”
He advised Wizkid’s fans to focus on celebrating their favourite artist’s music without drawing comparisons to other musicians, especially icons like Fela.
“Can’t you enjoy your artist’s music without comparing it to something else?” Kuti said. “If you cannot enjoy the music without comparison, it is because the music does not fill your spirit. You can pretend to enjoy it, but spiritually, you are not satisfied.”
Seun Kuti’s comments have since sparked mixed reactions online, with supporters praising his defence of his father’s legacy, while others argue that comparisons are a natural part of music discourse.
