Source: Joseph Okpako / Getty
has produced some of the finest artists globally, and one of the most influential among them is the late Fela Kuti. On Twitter, a debate is currently raging between fans who are going back and forth over who is the better artist between the “Black President” and red hot superstar Wizkid.
It appears that this debate began with Twitter user @EdmundOsiris posted a tweet challenging the prominence of Kuti in the wide expanse of Nigerian artists in modern music today.
“The older generation don’t want to admit that Wizkid is a greater artist than Fela ever was. Yes, Fela called out the government in his music but he’s a legend more for his activism than his actual music talent. Wizkid is the complete music package but I blame nostalgia,’ @EdmundOsiris tweeted, sparking a flurry of comments from all sides. What was indeed surprising was how many people agreed with @EdmundOsiris but there was overwhelming support for Kuti as expected.
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Kuti, born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, is largely associated with creating and popularizing Afrobeat alongside Tony Allen in the late 1960s. There are some who say Kuti took the style of Afrobeat from Ghana, which has been doing the style reportedly since the 1930s.
Kuti’s fusion of jazz, funk, and soul was mostly a vehicle for some of the Nigerian star’s fiery political messages aimed at the African nation’s government. Controversy followed Kuti for the duration of his career but he managed to create under duress from the Nigerian government and never once wavered on his stances despite the personal harm it often brought him.
Wizkid has been an active artist for over a decade, achieving international fame alongside Drake on the massive “One Dance” hit. From there, the 31-year-old artist born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun has continued to make strides, most especially his feature on Beyoncé’s
The Lion King: The Gift and the track “Brown Skin Girl”, which won the Best Musi Video Grammy Award.
Check out the debate and reactions below. And for what it’s worth, Fela Kuti and Wizkid are great within their own rights. Comparisons happen, so that’s just part of the game.
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Photo: Getty
