Of Fela’s Successor(s)

I’m not sure where I read it. But I know it was uttered by a Kenyan — that Fela Kuti’s successor may not be Femi Kuti, may not be Seun Kuti, and certainly may not come from Nigeria. A jolting statement that at once seems unreasonable and nonsensical. It’s not the first time a pundit makes a statement that hints at unlikely musical successor of a legend.

While folks were pointing at one of Bob Marley’s children — Stephen, Damian, Ky-mani, as their father’s possible successor, it didn’t take long before folks heard Majek Fashek’s cover of the Eagles’ “Hotel California” & Marley’s “Redemption Song”, that they started suspecting he may just be the new Bob Marley. (PS: I kinda prefer his version to the original).

I don’t think the modern world and its capitalist/global complexities will let us have conscious artistes in the mode of Fela, Marley, Lucky Dube, Peter Tosh or Bob Dylan. It will take extra-extra to see modern “protestant” artistes to exhibit art in the same range as the greats. Extra-Extra-Extra! (Hey Bobi Wine, we are watching you).

But….

But when you observe Falz’s (new) musical activism, you begin to suspect that, perhaps, the Kenyan meant to say Fela’s successor (or the closest to him) may not be restricted to Afrobeat, even if the person is Nigerian. Falz — the new Falz, is blending rap and pop toppings with Fela’s musical temperament. And it’s making sense.

(I’m suspecting the Kenyan is Eric Wainaina but I’ve used his name in gazillions of Google searches with no result. I suspect him because of his piece where he appraised the Nigerian factor in Kenyan contemporary music).