Early Life

At the age of 15, Femi Kuti began playing the saxophone and soon joined his father’s band, immersing himself in Afrobeat culture. He studied at Baptist Academy and Igbobi College in Lagos. His grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a renowned political activist, and his mother, whom he considers his greatest influence, shaped his socially conscious worldview.

Femi Kuti moved in with his mother after she separated from Fela but later chose to live with his father in 1977.

Career

Femi Kuti launched his own band, Positive Force, in the late 1980s with Dele Sosimi, a former member of Fela’s Egypt 80 band. His international journey began in 1988 with performances in France and Germany.

In 2000, he recorded a duet on “Ala Jalkoum” with Rachid Taha and later collaborated with US artists like Common and Mos Def on Fight to Win.

In 2002, Femi contributed to Red Hot & Riot, a tribute album to Fela, alongside Macy Gray, Nile Rodgers, and others. His music featured in Grand Theft Auto IV, where he voiced a fictional radio host.

Known for songs like “Sorry Sorry” and “What Will Tomorrow Bring,” Femi consistently uses music to critique social injustice. He received also four Grammy nominations for Best World Music Album.

In 2021, Femi also released the joint project Legacy+ with his son Made Kuti, merging generations of Afrobeat under one musical vision.

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