Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti amassed significant wealth during his career yet died without financial means due to his radical generosity, according to a recent revelation by his grandson, musician Made Kuti. During an appearance on the Tea With Tay podcast hosted by actor Taymesan, the younger Kuti provided intimate details about his grandfather’s unorthodox lifestyle, offering new insights into the life of one of Africa’s most iconic musicians.
Born in 1938, Fela—renowned for blending political activism with pioneering musical innovation—reportedly earned vast sums from his global performances. Yet Made Kuti emphasized that the artist’s open-handedness left him impoverished by the time of his death in 1997 at age 58. “He had the kind of money that could have bought a whole street,” Made explained, “but after shows, he’d open a box of cash and let anyone take what they needed.” Kalakuta Republic, Fela’s communal residence in Lagos, operated as a sanctuary with unrestricted access, welcoming strangers alongside family and band members. This philosophy of radical equality extended even to his children, who were barred from using terms like “father” to avoid implying hierarchy.
Made Kuti also highlighted a paradox in Fela’s legacy: while celebrated globally as a musical and political icon, the artist faced skepticism and intermittent censorship in his home country during his lifetime. Fela’s critiques of Nigeria’s military regimes and societal corruption often drew government backlash, including arrests and a violent 1977 raid on Kalakuta. Yet his international stature grew, with concerts abroad attracting fervent audiences and collaborators like Paul McCartney.
Though Fela’s music and message now enjoy widespread reverence in Nigeria, his grandson’s comments underscore the complex realities behind the legend—a man whose ideals of communal living and resistance came at personal cost. Decades after his passing, the Kuti family continues to shape Afrobeat’s evolution, with Made and his father, Femi Kuti, sustaining its fusion of music and activism. As global interest in African cultural history expands, stories of Fela’s uncompromising ethos and humanitarian spirit resonate anew, reflecting both his enduring influence and the sacrifices behind it.
