Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has strongly criticised comparisons between Afrobeats star Wizkid and his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, describing the claim as disrespectful and ignorant.
The outspoken musician made this known during a recent Instagram livestream, where he directly warned Wizkid FC, the singer’s fanbase, to stop referring to Wizkid as the “new Fela.”
According to Seun, such comparisons diminish the legacy of the Afrobeat pioneer and show a lack of understanding of what Fela represented.
“Wizkid FC keep Fela’s name out of your mouths. You try to claim that your fake artiste is the new Fela. Then when you people saw that the shoes were too big to fill and people like me also did not allow you to get away with those insults… It is actually an insult [to compare Wizkid to Fela],” he said.
Seun Kuti further accused Wizkid’s fans of disrespecting Fela repeatedly, noting that their actions are not rooted in rebellion or cultural resistance, but ignorance.
“You people have no respect. I like it when people don’t have respect as a form of defiance. If your lack of respect came from a place of defiance, I will respect it. But your lack of respect came from a place of ignorance,” he added.
The Afrobeat musician also blamed extreme fan loyalty for ongoing problems within Nigeria’s music industry, claiming it has affected collaborations and healthy artistic relationships.
“Wizkid fans are online disrespecting Fela again. Why must you always involve Fela in your petty discussions? The overzealousness of some fans has significantly affected the music industry negatively. Some artists can’t even collaborate because of fan rivalries,” Seun stated.
He went further to question why Wizkid’s music constantly needs comparison to past legends in order to be validated.
“I think Wizkid FC is the most ignorant fanbase in the world… You need to stop misbehaving. Concentrate on your artist. Can’t you enjoy their music without comparing it to something else?” he asked.
In one of his most pointed remarks, Seun suggested that constant comparisons are a sign of spiritual dissatisfaction.
“Do you know why you cannot enjoy your artist’s music without comparing it to something else? It is because the music does not fill your spirit. You can pretend to be enjoying it, but spiritually, you are not satisfied,” he concluded.
The comments have since sparked heated reactions online, reopening debates about legacy, genre boundaries, and whether modern Afrobeats stars should ever be compared to cultural icons like Fela.