Grammy-nominated Afrobeat artist Femi Kuti has shed light on the financial struggles his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, endured while raising his family.
In a recent interview with Afropolitan, Femi recounted that despite the success of Fela’s first hit, Jeun Ko Ku, the family lived in dire poverty.
“Fela was very poor. He couldn’t even afford food for us his kids. I mean, really really poor. Then we were living at No. 14A Agege Motor Road, this was all before Kalakuta,” Femi revealed.
He also reflected on the unexpected reception of the song, saying, “Every music story was playing Fela’s first Afrobeats hit ‘Jeun Ko Ku.’ I think he too was surprised at the reception he got.”
Femi’s account aligns with remarks from his son, Made Kuti, who previously stated that despite Fela earning considerable sums during his career, he passed away without much wealth due to his extreme generosity.
