“I Had to Find Myself or Be Unhappy Forever” – Femi Kuti Reflects on Living in Fela’s Shadow

Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti has opened up about the emotional and psychological journey of carving out his identity outside the towering legacy of his father, the legendary Fela Kuti.

In a candid reflection, Femi described the pressure of living under Fela’s influence, revealing how closely he mirrored his father in his early years — from musical aspirations to personal appearance.

“If I wanted to play music, I had to be Femi Kuti. I used the same mathematical thought that I cannot be Fela,” Femi said.
“I began to wear the same outfits with my father because I used to stay with my mother before I ran away to stay with him. I was like mini Fela because he usually dressed me like himself.”

The pressure to emulate Fela weighed heavily on him, pushing Femi to make a bold decision to step away and find his own path.

“I just thought I should better look for myself fast, or I’m going to be a very unhappy man. So I went back to my mother.”

Establishing his own band marked a turning point, but it wasn’t an easy transition. Femi faced resistance from the media and fans of his father, who were reluctant to accept him on his own terms.

“The moment I formed my band, his fan base descended on me. It was very difficult to find a good write-up about me then because the press hated me and at this time, there was no internet for me to defend myself.”

Living in Fela’s shadow extended beyond music. Femi says even his personal life, including the possibility of starting a family, felt stifled under his father’s influence.

“Being under my father, I didn’t have any possibility of my own life, including having children. I saw my life in his life.”

Now a respected figure in global music, Femi Kuti’s journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of identity, autonomy, and the personal cost of living in another’s legacy.