Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has revealed why his family rejected several offers to sell the music catalogue of their father, the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, the Grammy-nominated artiste said the decision was driven by a desire to preserve Fela’s legacy for future generations.
He explained that the family chose not to sell the catalogue but instead licensed it for a period, allowing them to retain control.
“We never sold Fela’s catalogue. It is under Fela’s estate controlled by the family. But we licensed the music.
“So, we control it. I don’t know how many years we have left but when it is done, we will take it over and licensed it again,” he said.
Femi also highlighted the key role played by his elder sister, Yeni Kuti, in ensuring the catalogue was not sold.
“My elder sister, Yeni Kuti, strongly opposed selling Fela’s catalogue. She is like the caretaker. And we give her the honour as the eldest among us. It doesn’t mean that the rest of us don’t have say, of course.
“But she is very protective of Fela’s legacy so she insisted we don’t sell it. I saw her view immediately and we all agreed. If we had sold it, no royalty would be coming to the family,” he added.
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Prompt News reports the musician expressed hope that future generations of the family would continue to uphold and protect the legacy of the Afrobeat icon.
