Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has claimed that he has been blacklisted in the Nigerian music industry for about 13 years due to his style of music. Speaking on the Saleh Meditate podcast, he explained that because his late father Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and his contemporaries used music as a protest against bad governance, the government invested heavily in "vain artists" while targeting conscious musicians. He said being blacklisted in Nigeria doesn't affect him much, stressing that Nigeria is "just a really small percentage of my market." He added that artists who fear blacklisting are only scared because Nigeria is the bulk of their fanbase.
Key Points:
- Seun Kuti claims the government deliberately suppressed conscious music.
- He says he has been cancelled for 13 years since performing at a Lagos governor's event.
- He insists Nigeria is only a small fraction of his global fanbase.
- Artists who fear blacklisting do so because Nigeria is their main market.
- The interview renews debate about censorship and government influence in Nigerian music.
Watch whether other artists speak out about industry blacklisting and how the Nigerian music industry responds to Kuti's claim
Sources: Daily Post
