Seun Kuti, the Grammy-nominated Afrobeats singer, has voiced his frustration over the misattribution of accomplishments within the music industry. In particular, Kuti highlighted an instance where Burna Boy was incorrectly credited as the first artist to perform at Coachella in 2020, a record Kuti actually holds, having performed at the festival in 2012.
Furthermore, Kuti pointed out that his brother, Femi Kuti, had already secured multiple Grammy nominations well before Burna Boy’s nomination for Best World Music Album. Despite Kuti’s own album “Black Times” being nominated for the same award, he felt it was unjustly overlooked by African award bodies.
Even though Seun Kuti received a Grammy nomination for his contribution to Janelle Monae’s album “Age of Pleasure,” he expressed disappointment over not being acknowledged among the Nigerian artists nominated for the 66th Grammys. He remarked, “My brother, Femi Kuti, has been nominated multiple times at the Grammys. I was also nominated in the last edition. It was only my name that the Nigerian media didn’t mention among the artists nominated for the 66th Grammys. They act as if I’m from Togo.”
He further lamented, “They claimed Burna Boy was the first Nigerian artist to play at Coachella in 2020, despite the fact that I performed there in 2012. It’s as though I’m not even from Nigeria.” Kuti’s remarks underscore his disappointment with the recurring pattern of overlooking his contributions and achievements in the music scene, both locally and internationally.
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