Fela Gets 'Afrobeats Originator Credit' Because He Travelled And Performed With His Band' – Tekno
Nigerian singer Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno, has sparked debate after claiming that the late Afrobeats legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was not the originator of Afrobeats.
Speaking in a recent interview with Hot 97 FM in New York, the 'Pana' crooner argued that other legends from the Eastern part of Nigeria, such as Oliver De Coque, contributed significantly to the genre.
Tekno acknowledged that Fela played a crucial role in taking Afrobeats international but insisted that the genre's roots are broader.
He noted that highlife music, which was popularized by Eastern legends, is also a form of Afrobeats. He expressed that while Fela deserves credit, other pioneers like Oliver De Coque should be celebrated as well.
He said:
"Fela is not the originator of Afrobeats. Lagos people and the Yorubas might say he is the one, but I am from the East, and we had legends like Oliver De Coque. Oliver De Coque made pure highlife music. Highlife is also Afrobeats."
"My song 'Rara' is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his music while growing up. He is a legend. He was the one who took Afrobeat international. But there are other people that we listen to. In the East, we had some legends who sang some type of music that, if you heard today, you wouldn't believe was made in those times."
"I feel like these legends deserved more recognition. I would say I was more inspired by Oliver De Coque and his peers from the East. My dad used to play his music a lot."
"Fela gets all the credit because he travelled and performed with his band around the world. To some people, he is the originator of Afrobeats, but to me, there are a bunch of them— legends that no one speaks about."