Grammy-nominated Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, has expressed his frustration that Burna Boy is being mistakenly credited for achievements that he and others in the Nigerian music industry actually accomplished.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Public Republic, Kuti lamented that his album ‘Black Times’ was nominated for Best World Music Album years ago but no African award organiser considered it for a nomination.
Seun Kuti recalled that despite his own performance at Coachella in 2012, Burna Boy was widely reported as the first artist to play there in 2020.
The controversial singer stated that despite earning another Grammy nomination for his contributions to Janelle Monae’s ‘Age of Pleasure,’ which was nominated in the Album of the Year category at the 2024 Grammys, the media didn’t mention him among the Nigerian artists nominated for the 66th Grammys.
“My brother [Femi Kuti] has been nominated at the Grammys multiple times. They’ve nominated me, I was also nominated in the last edition. It was only my name that they [Nigerian media] didn’t mention among the Nigerian artists who were nominated for the 66th Grammys. That’s what they do every time as if I’m from Togo.”
“That’s how they said Burna boy was the first Nigerian artiste to play in Coachella in 2020 where me I’ve played in 2012 as if I’m from Togo,” he lamented.
It’s essential to recognize the true pioneers and contributors in the music scene, and Seun Kuti’s candid remarks shed light on this issue.