Seun Kuti, the Grammy-nominated Afrobeat artist, has expressed frustration over the Nigerian media attributing his and others’ achievements to Burna Boy.
Kuti pointed out that despite his performance at Coachella in 2012, reports erroneously celebrated Burna Boy as the first Nigerian artist to appear at the festival in 2020.
He also highlighted that before Burna Boy’s ‘African Giant’ album secured a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album, his older brother, Femi Kuti, had already been recognized multiple times in the same category. In a recent discussion with The Public Republic, Kuti reflected on how his own work ‘Black Times’ received a Grammy nod for Best World Music Album years earlier, yet it was overlooked by African award bodies.
The outspoken musician further noted that despite receiving another Grammy nomination for his contribution to Janelle Monae’s ‘Age of Pleasure,’ which contended for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys, his name was omitted from the list of Nigerian nominees at the 66th Grammy Awards by the media.
Kuti lamented, “My brother [Femi Kuti] has been acknowledged by the Grammys on numerous occasions. They’ve recognized me as well; I was nominated in the last ceremony. Yet, they failed to mention my name among the Nigerian artists nominated for the 66th Grammys. It’s as if they treat me like I’m from Togo every time. Just like how they claimed Burna Boy was the first Nigerian artist to perform at Coachella in 2020 when I had already played there in 2012, as if I’m from Togo.”