“We never sold Fela’s catalogue” — Femi Kuti explains family decision

Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has opened up about a major decision his family made regarding the music catalogue of their legendary father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Speaking in a recent interview on Channels Television, Femi explained that despite receiving several attractive offers over the years, the family chose not to sell the rights to Fela’s music. Instead, they focused on preserving his legacy for the long term.

“We never sold Fela’s catalogue. It is under Fela’s estate controlled by the family. But we licensed the music,” he said.

He went on to clarify that while they retain control, the catalogue is managed through licensing agreements.

“So, we control it. I don’t know how many years we have left but when it is done, we will take it over and licensed it again.”

Femi also highlighted the role of his elder sister, Yeni Kuti, in the decision-making process. According to him, she has been very protective of their father’s legacy and played a key role in ensuring the catalogue was not sold off.

“My elder sister, Yeni Kuti, strongly opposed selling Fela’s catalogue. She is like the caretaker. And we give her the honour as the eldest among us,” he said.

He added that her stance influenced the entire family, leading to a unanimous agreement to keep the catalogue within the family.

“But she is very protective of Fela’s legacy so she insisted we don’t sell it. I saw her view immediately and we all agreed. If we had sold it, no royalty would be coming to the family.”

For the Kuti family, the decision was less about immediate financial reward and more about safeguarding Fela’s musical legacy for future generations.