Seun Kuti, Grammy-nominated Afrobeat musician, has expressed frustration over the Nigerian media’s tendency to neglect his accomplishments in the music industry. In a recent interview with The Public Republic, Kuti pointed out that Burna Boy was wrongly credited as the first artist to perform at Coachella in 2020, when in fact, Kuti himself had performed at the festival in 2012.
Kuti also highlighted that his brother, Femi Kuti, had received multiple Grammy nominations before Burna Boy’s first nomination. Additionally, Kuti’s album “Black Times” was nominated for Best World Music Album, but was overlooked by African award organizers.
Despite his contributions to Janelle Monae’s “Age of Pleasure,” which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys, Kuti felt snubbed by the Nigerian media for not acknowledging his nomination alongside other Nigerian artists.
Kuti lamented, “They didn’t mention my name among the Nigerian artists nominated for the 66th Grammys, as if I’m from Togo.” He accused the media of consistently overlooking his achievements, citing the example of Burna Boy being credited as the first Nigerian artist to perform at Coachella, when Kuti had done so years earlier.