FEMI KUTI: MY CRASHED MARRIAGE: THE TRUE STORY

Afrobeat maestro, Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, has finally opened up on his crashed marriage. The musician, who is currently in Paris, France where he is due to perform at the biggest African music festival in Europe, went down memory lane and recalled how he met and married Funke, his ex-wife and mother of his first son, Made. He also spoke about other intimate issues. It is vintage Femi – candid, honest and brutally frank! Enjoy it.

What has been your experience in collaborating with musicians like Wizkid and the rest?

It is okay.

Did you expect the kind of acceptance ‘Jaiye Jaiye’ is receiving?

Yes, because I know what I put inside. It is like cooking a pot of soup without putting spices that will make it sweet, it will just be an ordinary pot of soup. People might like it because they are hungry to eat. It was already a good music I just put a bit of energy that enhanced creativity and that was easy because I already like the music.

GRAMMY AWARD: FEMI KUTI BAGS 4TH NOMINATION

‪For the fourth time in the space of 10 years  Femi Kuti has been nominated for the Grammy Awards.

The Nigerian Afrobeat singer and saxophonist has been nominated in the ‘World Music‘ category for his 2013 ‘No Place For My Dream‘ album released under Knitting Factory Records.

Others in the category include French group Gipsy Kings, SA male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Indian musician Ravi Shankar.

In 2003, Kuti picked up his first Grammy Award nomination but lost out to Panamanian salsa singer Rubén Blades. He similarly lost in 2010 when he was nominated in the same category. US banjo player  Bela Fleck walked away with the award.

In 2011, Kuti once again lost the award to Malian band Tinariwen for the album Tassili.

Femi Kuti has been swarmed with congratulatory messages on Twitter where he supposedly received the news.  ’Really haven’t heard. Thanks‘, he wrote while replying a congratulatory tweet.

Kuti has however grown less optimistic about getting a Grammy Award. In 2011, Femi Kuti deliberately skipped out on attending the awards show stating that he ‘didn’t want to raise his hopes high’.

Meanwhile, rapper Jay Z leads the list with nine nominations including best rap album, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore n Ryan Lewis, Justin Timberlake, and Pharrell Williams follow closely with seven nods.Drake is up for five awards.

Check out the full list here

WHY I DIDN’T TALK TO FELA FOR SIX YEARS – FEMI KUTI

Fela Anikulapo’s son, Femi, reveals what people didn’t know about the late Afrobeat musician.

Why did your father choose a controversial lifestyle?

It was because he was too honest about his way of life. He liked women and he did not hide it. He liked to smoke marijuana and he did it in the open. Many people like women but they do it secretly. There are so many brothels all around the world but Fela never patronised them, many people go there to pay for sex.

You will be shocked to know the number of people that smoke marijuana in Nigeria and all over the world. I hope you know that some countries are legalising the smoking of marijuana now. He was truthful about his way of life while many of us are hypocritical about ours. Many people were envious that he was too honest and bold and that was why there were so many controversies about his life.

Most of his friends who are highly-placed admire women even girls young enough to be their daughters. They leave their matrimonial homes to meet them secretly. Some of them hide in hotels to do what they cannot do in the open. Many of them smoke but they are not brave enough to say they smoke. All the call girls you see on Allen Avenue, who picks them? Fela never did.