An interview with Femi Kuti
By on June 28th, 2007
Nigerian singer/songwriter/performer/political activist Femi Kuti will perform this coming Monday, July 2nd, on the Briggs and Stratton stage at 7:30 p.m. as part of Summerfest 2007 in Milwaukee. Kuti, 45, is the son of Fela Kuti, an Afrobeat pioneer and fellow political activist. Femi Kuti collaborated with noted hip-hop figures Common and Mos Def on his 2001 album Fight to Win. In an e-mail interview, Kuti discussed his father, his music, and his passion to help Nigeria’s impoverished.
1. I’m sure you get tired of all the numerous questions between your father and yourself and I’m sorry that I have to bring it up again. You have been described as less biting in your criticism of the Nigerian government than your father was. Do you agree with that statement and if so, can you explain why that is, or why you might be perceived as less harsh? Do you feel that being less biting is a positive or negative characteristic of yourself?
FK: I agree I am not as “biting” as him but you are forgetting that his environment at the time was quite different to mine now. He had just come back from America and the discussions of the time were all about the Black Panther movement and Malcolm X empowering black people to take action. It was a time for change not only in America but worldwide, a time to fight for rights and my father was energized by all this. I feel passionately about the same issues but feel they can be resolved in different ways. I do write about issues that I feel strongly about; I became the UNICEF goodwill ambassador which raised issues in protecting children to cherish them for the future of those countries.
Everyone acts in the way that they feel can get the best out of the situation and this is how I feel I can do it by talking to the press and media and they telling a wider audience.
2. Along those same lines, your lifestyle/choices seem to be at odds with your father’s, especially on the subjects of drugs and alcohol, marriage and safe sex. Is this a case of learning from your father’s mistakes or do you attribute it to something else?
FKl: Yes my father smoked, yes my father had many wives, yes my father had fun. Yes I am different but this is me and that was him. Just because my father was excessive does not mean that I would inherit this personality. Maybe I did learn from his example and did not want the same as him but this does not mean that I did not love him.
3. Which do you consider yourself most? A political activist, or a musician? How much of your music is meant to inform and educate and how much is made simply to entertain?
FK: I am a musician; I just like to write about what I feel is important and politics and social issues are. If one person takes on board my message then it is one more then there was yesterday — that is quite an achievement.
4. How much does the memory of your father still influence the music you write and record? After writing or recording a song, do you think, “I wonder if Fela would approve of this or would Fela like this?”
FK: Well of course what Fela wrote does influence me. I listen to a lot of jazz that he used to listen to as well as a lot of his music. But I think my music has developed from his; I have integrated hip-hop, remixed my tracks. Fela was very proud of his children and taught me everything I know so of course he would be proud. And now my son is a great musician — he would also be proud of his grandson.
5. When you’re not touring or working on new music, what kind of music do you enjoy listening to? Do you have any favorite artists? What kind of books do you read, and what kind of movies do you like?
FK: I don’t have time for movies or reading. I have a large family and a club to run that takes up all my time and I extensively tour. When I do listen to music it is jazz, such as Dizzie Gillespie and Miles Davies. I do listen to the music my son plays which is interesting but ultimately I go back to the music I enjoy.
6. What other American artists would you like to collaborate with?
FK: I have just written and recorded a new album, which my son performed. I decided not to do any collaborations as the last studio recorded album had a lot of collaborations. I just wanted to perform with my son and positive force.
7. Do you have a favorite place to perform in the United States? In the world? In Africa?
FK: It has to be the new Shrine in Lagos. I also enjoy performing at Summer Stage in New York — just amazing.
8. Would you ever consider experimenting outside of hip-hop, soul, afro-beat, and jazz and perhaps incorporate elements of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, country or folk into your music?
FK: Not really. I will stick to what I enjoy.
9. Can you explain to me your role in UNICEF, and what kind of influence that has on your life?
It is a humanitarian role and is very important to me. I went to Zimbabwe and these children have nothing, there are 1.3m orphans. If I can make people aware of this then hopefully things will change. Life is not about what you have; it’s about what you do. We must ensure that we make this a better place for our children, so that when we die they will say “thank you.” Right now, I don’t think they would.
10. Are you still distancing yourself from MASS, and if so can you explain to me why/what happened? Also are you organizing any other groups like MASS or in accordance with your role in UNICEF?
AC: If I can just interrupt, why did you disband MASS [Movement Against Second Slavery]?
FK: I founded the Movement Against Second Slavery in 1998, pushing for social changes in Nigeria. I disbanded it because everyone was coming after me for my money and not the interests of MASS. If I brought some money back everybody wanted some, and of course it wasn’t for the people who really deserved it, people who require the basic amenities such as water and electricity. Ultimately no one really believed in, or worked hard enough, towards the objective.
But I will continue. You don’t need an organisation to speak the truth. My music does it.
11. Have you ever played Summerfest here in Milwaukee before? What attracted you here, and why exactly did you choose to come here? Do you have any specific expectations of the show and the venue?
FK: My agent booked the tour. It is a big American tour and I look forward to visiting all parts of the USA.
12. Do the politics in your music stay mainly on subjects within Nigeria, or do the events taking place in Darfur and the Sudan and the events that took place in Rwanda find themselves in your music and bearing down on your mind?
FK: It is mainly Nigeria and how we behave towards each other. But as a good will ambassador of UNICEF I have been to many countries seeing the issues of child poverty and recognize that we have a lot of problems. The children are our future and we are doing little to alleviate the misery of these poor children. Instead of Madonna adopting a child why doesn’t she give to these children so that they are not taken from their surroundings but brought up in the surroundings of their heritage? She should be contributing to villages — this would help more people than only one child. Why should Africa be damned?
13. What is your greatest goal for the Nigerian people and their government?
To be treated equally, stop being so corrupt and think of others.
14. If you had one word for the people of Milwaukee awaiting your show, what would it be?
Let’s have a good time, but also remember to take something of what I say away with you.
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