Femi Kuti turns 50

Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, the king of Afrobeat and one of Africa’s most decorated musicians, will celebrate his golden jubilee as he attains 50 years. The world-famous musician, bandleader and activist has been in the public eye since his teens, and now, he will, on Saturday June 16, attain 50. Femi is the first son of Afrobeat […]

Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, the king of Afrobeat and one of Africa’s most decorated musicians, will celebrate his golden jubilee as he attains 50 years.

The world-famous musician, bandleader and activist has been in the public eye since his teens, and now, he will, on Saturday June 16, attain 50.

Femi is the first son of Afrobeat founder Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Being Fela’s child might be his claim to fame, but Femi has worked through the years to establish himself as a writer, performer and innovator in his own right; preferring to gain respect and accolades by virtue of his hardwork and consistency, while some, who are not even Fela’s biological children, continue to feed and live on his name and works.

When he clocked 49 last year, Femi told Weekend Magazine  “I don’t feel special. If you ask me about the things I’ve done to reach where I am at 49, well you could say, some credit here, credit there but I will not assert my life right now…”

Femi was born in London to Fela (October 15, 1938 —August 2, 1997) and his first wife Remi. Following his parents’ separation, he initially lived with his mother, before reuniting with Fela, with whom he shared a special friendship and closeness. He would later join Fela’s band quite early, after quitting school; eventually leading the band for some time, while Fela was incarcerated.

In 1985, ‘he freed himself from his father’s legacy’, when he set up his own band ‘The Positive Force’. He was just 23 at the time. Twenty seven years after setting up that band, Femi, has since discarded the title of ‘Fela’s heir’, to become the bonafide king of Afrobeat, a pathfinder in his own right; widely respected for bringing the genre to new audiences, especially with his collaboration with Hip-hop and pop acts like Common, Mos Def, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Weird MC, Olu Maintain, D’Angelo, Macy Gray, Durella and many more. Some of these collaborations, as well as most of Femi’s most recent recordings, were done inside the New Africa Shrine, in Lagos.