Yeni Kuti, daughter of the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has dismissed ongoing comparisons between her father and contemporary music stars, describing such debates as unnecessary and disrespectful to Fela’s legacy.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE News, shared on Monday, Yeni argued that Fela’s enduring influence nearly three decades after his death speaks for itself. She urged modern artistes to focus on competing within their own generation rather than placing cultural icons in rivalry narratives.
“Don’t compare chalk and cheese. Fela is a legend. Give him his flowers,” she said. “He’s done his own. If you are still talking about him 29 years after his death, and you are comparing, you are not a dead man walking. Compare yourself with your peers and leave our legends alone.”
Her remarks come amid renewed conversations about Fela’s legacy following his recent recognition by the Recording Academy. The Afrobeat pioneer was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Special Merit Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 31, ahead of the main Grammy ceremony. The award was received on his behalf by his children Yeni, Kunle, Shalewa, and Femi Kuti.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also paid tribute to Fela, describing the recognition as a fitting global salute to an icon whose music and ideals shaped generations. In a statement issued on Sunday, the President lauded Fela as more than a musician, portraying him as a powerful voice of resistance whose lyrics and performances challenged oppression, confronted injustice, and awakened social consciousness across continents.
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