Music producer, Ksolo, is of the opinion that many contemporary Nigerian artistes cannot match the impact of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, Ksolo said, “I don’t think a figure like Fela appears in every generation. You can be yourself. Fela was a completely different being. I feel like every 50 years or so, someone like Fela emerges. Sometimes, his kind doesn’t appear again. Someone like Martin Luther King has not had a replacement. The words he spoke are still being quoted today, and many quotes have been derived from them. I don’t think it’s necessary for every generation to have a Fela. Fela wasn’t just a musician, he was a fighter.”
He added that Fela’s music was about more than entertainment, emphasising liberation and social justice.
“He believed that everyone who listened to his music should not be oppressed. How can you enjoy an artiste’s song while your own family is being oppressed or detained? He felt the need to fight for his people; that those who listened to his music needed to be liberated.”
Reflecting on the current generation of artistes, Ksolo noted, “That is the opposite today. Most artistes fight only for their pockets. A Wizkid, for instance, could look inward and say, ‘I have a billion naira to give. I can partner with financial institutions so everyone in my fan club can collect a million naira.’ Once you have a tangible business, you can give back to those who support you. Those are the ways to make a difference.”
Ksolo concluded by highlighting the gap between today’s artistes and legends like Fela. “It’s sad that if you ask a fan of a Nigerian pop star how this person has changed their life, they cannot give an answer. It’s disrespectful to compare this generation to Fela. What Fela accomplished, many of today’s artistes simply cannot do,” he said.
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