Singer Tekno clarified his comments about Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, explaining that saying he didn’t grow up listening to Fela doesn’t mean he denied the late musician’s place as the originator of Afrobeat.
Speaking during an interview, Tekno said he was born in Bauchi and grew up in Northern Nigeria, where Yoruba music was not commonly played around him.
“I no hear Fela growing up. I didn’t say he’s not the originator of Afrobeat,” he said, stressing that his musical influences were different.
The singer explained that although his music is naturally categorised as Afrobeat because he is Nigerian, only one of his songs, Rara, sounds like the type of Afrobeat associated with Fela.
“Of every single hit record I’ve made, the only song I would call or record that would sound like what they would say Fela’s Afrobeat is Rara,” Tekno said.
He added that Fela did not make songs like Duro, Pana or Yawa, while maintaining that he respects the late icon.
“We all love Fela, but I didn’t listen to him growing up. Even after I grew up, I no still listen to am,” he said.
Using football as an example, Tekno compared his preference to being a Ronaldo fan while others preferred Messi.
“It no mean say Fela no be legend; he wasn’t my king, he never was my king, he will never be my king,” he stated.
Asked who his own musical king is, Tekno gave a clear answer: Oliver De Coque.
