Haitian rapper, Wyclef Jean has titled his new single ‘Fela Kuti’ after Nigerian legendary afrobeat founder, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
The new soundtrack titled ‘Fela Kuti’ which appears as his first single off his forthcoming album is a song that seeks to teach upcoming artiste the root of Afrobeat.
Wyclef told XXL that like Bob Marley, he wants the name Fela Kuti to ring a bell in the minds of the young ones. If they have no idea who he is, the song would push them to search him up on google.
“I decided to name it Fela Kuti because for me, I feel like we be thinking of [Bob] Marley, we give a lot of people from our past props, so when the kids hear Fela Kuti, I really want them to Google it.
“Fela Kuti studied jazz in England. Wyclef studied jazz at Vailsburg High School. Fela Kuti then went back to his country and tried to help his country by running for president. Wyclef, you know, did the same thing.
“Then, Fela, through all his obstacles and all that, his music is what pillared him right back to the top. He understood the strongest way to help politically was to make sure the music was bangin.
“So for me, the same way kids can have songs called “Wyclef Jean” who are influenced by me, I want kids to know who Fela is and what he means.”
