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Interview

Exclusive: Read what Made’s saying about his father,grandfather and Afrobeat

By Feb 17, 2023, 06:12 am0

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This interview had been long in coming and the effort of  Yeni, the one we call YK Power,  in making it possible cannot be underestimated. A brilliant young man , Made flung the door of his aunty’s apartment open for this to happen.
He spoke eloquently and logically about Afrobeat and Afrobeats, his father’s contribution to the development of afrobeat, which was founded by his grandfather in this interview by Deputy Editor, Charles Okogene, who was one of the journalists present at his christaining 27 years ago at Omole Estate.
Happy reading.
“….Again to undermine his son who toured the entire world for over 30 years before any of your current most popular musicians started making music, is dangerous to the history of our culture; you are erasing essential value that is supposed to be in the mind of generation of children so that they can understand and appreciate the history of what had come before them. How can you say that an artiste of 27 years old is bigger than a Femi Kuti that is 60 years old. To even make that comparison is ridiculous because what world did Femi Kuti exist in, what business, what challenges did he face. There was no social media, no streaming  platforms and yet he toured the world for over 40 years. You undermine that simply because you want to put one of your favourite musicians on a stage above his, this is dangerous to your culture not just to the mind of your people but you are  harming  history and if you harm history, then you are lost. That means you don’t care historically about us, you do not care historically about culture , you do not care about anything about us, which is why we re-elect dangerous people because we forget, we are not taught to remember, we do not value things we ought to remember. Look at the incredible things Fela did before some of our later days musicians were born, look at what Femi Kuti is doing by building the New African Shrine, performing there four times in a week, touring the world, getting awards and Grammy nominations …”

Made
Photo by: BOLAJI ALONGE

Today, you play with Femi side by side not behind him; unlike him that was playing behind Fela,  how do you feel about that? 

I feel I am, not intentionally, but very naturally taking the same musical route that my father  took in inheriting  the passion for music, the same way I started off by playing in my dad’s band , the way he played in his father’s band. Him and Fela were playing separately at the shrine, the same thing I am doing with him at the new African Shrine. I play on Wednesdays, my day plays on Thursdays, he plays on Sundays too and I sometimes play on Fridays. It came about like this because of how much my environment shaped me in the way that I toured with my dad from when I was very young, I have been at the shrine since the New African Shrine was built; so music has always been my biggest influence so I chose to adopt that influence and I loved it,  grew it and eventually I formed my own band and sometimes play alongside my father in some shows. I will say it is a very special feeling.

You said music has been your influence?

Yes.

Did anybody tele-guided you or influenced you to go to into music or you just began to play it on your own?

I remember very vividly that it started from own questions and inqisitiveness. I will always ask my dad … my first instrument was trumpet, I picked it up myself but did not know how to play it but my father and aunty YK (Yeni)  and my mum, saw that I was producing sound but did not know how to play it, decided to get me a music teacher on trumpet. Then my second interest was the sax. I asked my dad, how does this thing work? I really want to learnt it. Then the same thing with the drums and guitar. So it has always been from my curousity. I have always questioned the instruments  and eventually, I started taking them more seriously because I really wanted to know how they work. Then, I told my dad that I want to study music so by the time I was in high school, my dad did not let me travel with him anymore, insisting I should take my study more seriously but I know that as soon as I finished high school, I had to go to a music university . All of it was my wanting to learn about music first, later led to the passion to create and perform music. I always wanted to learn about and know how it works.

How do you feel seeing that afrobeat music is ‘monopolised’ by one family; the family of the founder unlike other genre of music, what do you think is responsible? 

I think that afrobeat is still a very young genre of music, because it is still young or so young, and unlike other families where inheritance of legacy especially when it is art do not continue from generation to generation,; we have decided on our own, myself, my father, uncle Seun, to pursue music because it has been our choice and afrobeat been a young form of music, we are still the holders of the music. But I also know that there is a massive flourish of afrobeat without the ‘S’ throughout the world; I know of three afrobeat bands in the UK, I know of one in Japan, I  know several in the states. So afrobeat as genre is spreading far and wide. I think what my dad did was, find his own voice within afrobeat, he funkfied it,  he made it very unique to him and the same thing I am doing. I am finding my own direction within afrobeat while the rest of the world are still holding on strongly to Fela’s type of afrobeat. So what I think differentiates us is that we take on the character of Fela, his character of creativity . We want to compose new things, we are not comfortable with original settings of afrobeat. My dad said he had to find his own voice. I can’t be Fela because he can never be anyone he is not and same thing applies to me  so what I compose or create before I exit the world, I need to know that it is my sound .

Though, I am not comfortable with the word afrobeat with ‘S’. What in your opinion is the difference between afrobeats and afrobeat? 

Watch out for my next album, Made Kuti tells fans

I think that afrobeat is very  similar to the early days of the development of jazz music and became more and more commercialised like hip-hop and rap.  That is the role afrobeat is playing in Nigeria. Afrobeat is so rich, musically, that you can extract and restructure  it in so many ways and it still stands as a strong genre of music. I think that what people have done is that they have commercialise it in a very specific way, they reduced instrumentation and maybe reduce the complexity of the message in afrobeat. The reason they are doing that is, of course,  for commercial. I think afrobeats is intense commercialisation of afrobeat. I don’t think it is bad per se, I just think they have to exist an even playing ground in the business sector for both genres of music. There has to be an avenue for people who do not necessarily play commercial music to have the same funding and attention by radios, TVs and media personalities to showcase the ‘musicalities’ of afrobeat without the S and to see what musicians, drummers, saxsoponists are doing and to know that just focusing too much on commercialisation is very dangerous to the history and culture of the style for you to take away what is fundamental. It is the same as modern western world; if they were to only give attention to their pop and commercial music and totally disregard the classical era, those institutions still exists to maintain the importance of that genre of music so I think is for those in business  to  know that all those institutions still exist for afrobeat musicians and any other genre of music that is not commercial;  to have a platform in the same way that all the money that is pumped into the commercial scene.  Though, I understand the commercial scene is bringing in a lot of money. Is like when people say, ‘I do not like jazz’, ‘but how much of jazz have they listened to’? If you do not have access to listen to it and understand it, there is  no way for you to appreciate it. So it  is different but can exist together.

Your great grandfather was into music, your grandfather was totally into music, your dad is into music,  you are into music; but there is an opinion that now generation of musicians have done much  than the old generation as I have mentioned, do you believe that?

Again, it has to do with enlightenment,  People are not taught to appreciate the values of things that are very important; for example we understand how important Fela creating afrobeat and spreading it around the world, was, and such significant thing that it still exists till date cannot be undermined. Again to undermine his son who toured the entire world for over 30 years before any of your current most popular musicians started making music is dangerous to the history of our culture; you are erasing essential value that is supposed to be in the minds of generation of children so that they understand and appreciate the history of what has come before them. How can you say that this artiste of 27 years old is bigger than a Femi Kuti that is 60 years old. To even make that comparison is ruddiclous because what world did Femi Kuti existed in, what business, what challenges did he face. There was no social media, no streaming  platforms and yet he toured the world for over 40 years. You undermine that simply because you want to put one of your favourite musicians on a stage above his, is dangerous to your culture not just to the mind of your people but you are  harming  history and if you harm history, then you are lost. That means you don’t care historically about us, you do not care historically about our culture , you do not care about anything about us, which is why we re-elect dangerous people because we forget, we are not taught to remember, we do not value things we ought to remember. Look at the incredible things Fela did before some of our later days musicians were born, look at what Femi Kuti is doing by building the New African Shrine, performing there four times in a week, touring the world, getting awards and Grammy nominations …

Watch out for the concluding part.

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Between Fela and Whizkid…. 2

Greater in Death:Fela becomes first African to receive Grammy lifetime honour

Between Fela and Whizkid… 1 By Bola BOLAWOLE turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533, 0803 251 0193 “Anything you can do/I can do it better/I’m the toughest (I’m the toughest)/And I can do what you can’t do/You’ll never try to do what I do/I’m the toughest/I’m the toughest” (1978) – Peter Tosh. Growing up in the late sixties, seventies and early eighties, we were regaled with a lot of competition and “fights” on multiple fronts between musicians, much of which, we later learnt, were orchestrated by their supporters or by the musicians themselves to sell their market, as they say. For instance, between Ebenezer Obey and Sunny Ade, Dele Abiodun and Emperor Pick Peters, Kollington Ayinla and Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Christy Essien-Igbokwe and Onyeka Onwenu, among others. Every song, every talking drum or guitar gyration was given meanings that further fuelled the “cold war” between rival musicians. The musicians themselves hardly helped matters. Today, they will deny any acrimony between them. Tomorrow they will say “fight has finished” and will begin to sing the praises of those who had helped to quench the fire! Next tomorrow, another “orin ote” (abusive songs and drum beats that scatter ground) will rear their ugly heads again! Musicians tend to enjoy the popularity that rivalries and orchestrated fights attract. It helps to line their pockets as they smile their way to the bank after every record they release. Some have interpreted the opening quote above by Peter Tosh, an outstanding reggae artiste in his own right, as an indication that rivalry amongst musicians is not limited to Nigerian artistes. Who was Tosh referring to here? Tougher than who? His former colleagues in The Wailers? And, again, who was he mocking in Downpressor Man (1977)? The unjust, oppressive “Babylon system” to some; but, to others, his former compatriot, Bob Marley, who had fled Jamaica following an attempted assassination at his home on December 3, 1976. Seun Anikulapo-Kuti and Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (aka Whizkid) are said to be fighting. I am not a fan of either. I only took notice of their fight after reading what Whizkid was alleged to have said: that he is greater than Fela, Seun’s father! The uproar that greeted Whizkid’s alleged tantrums has, expectedly, been massive. I am not here to add my own “yabis” but to try and throw some light on the matter by sharing two opinions that, in my view, frontally address the place of Fela and Whizkid in history. As my grandmother would say, d’elegha-m’egha. Everyone should know their proper place and relevance; so that no one trespasses into another’s lane. The first opinion by Kio Amachree and titled “Wizkid is a celebrity. Fela was a musician. Know the difference” runs thus: “Forty years ago, my records were played on Nigerian radio and sold across the country. I became known. Then I walked away, pulled the plug, and went to serve my National Service. I begin with this not out of nostalgia, but to make a necessary distinction. There is a difference between being a musician and being a celebrity. “Wizkid is a celebrity. A successful one. He has played the industry game well, written love songs for young girls, danced, been marketed, promoted, and rewarded handsomely. He is a pop star of his era. “But he is not a musician in the historical or cultural sense. He does not play an instrument. His lyrics do not interrogate power. His music does not challenge society. That is not a crime. But it is a category. And categories matter. “Fela Kuti was something else entirely. Fela was classically trained. He could read and write music. He played multiple instruments. He created a new musical language and used it as a weapon against corruption, dictatorship, and injustice. His songs shook governments. They also brought him beatings, prison, exile, and the death of his mother. He paid a price for truth. Repeatedly. “Fela was offered millions to shorten his songs, stop being political, chase radio singles, and become ‘bigger than Bob Marley.’ He told them to go to hell! Mission mattered more than money. “And let us be clear about something history often distorts: Fela was not from the gutter. He came from an educated, upper-class, sophisticated, powerful family. Yet he chose to stand with the poor, the beaten, the voiceless. That choice is what made him dangerous. That choice is what made him great. “To boast that one is ‘bigger than Fela’ is not confidence. It is historical illiteracy. Celebrity fades. Bank balances (go) empty. Algorithms move on. What remains is courage, sacrifice, and contribution. “I learned to use music to tell stories and push for social change from Fela and from my time with Bob Marley. Music can entertain. But at its highest level, it also confronts, educates, and liberates. “Pop stars are free to chase charts and endorsements. That is their lane. But they do not get to rewrite history. “Fela is not a brand to be compared. He is a standard. And standards are not measured by streams, accents, jewelry, or record advances. They are measured by impact, integrity, and what you are willing to suffer for the truth. “Heroes are remembered. Celebrities are replaced!” I am sure you are beginning to see the difference between Fela and Whizkid! Now take a look at the second opinion – it was a meeting between the reggae king, Bob Nesta Marley, and the king of pop music, Michael Jackson. Titled “Michael Jackson flew to Jamaica with a $50m offer — Bob Marley said NO”, it runs thus: “When the world’s biggest pop star flies to Jamaica with an offer that could make you the richest reggae artist in history, most musicians (will) say ‘yes’ immediately. But when Michael Jackson sat face-to-face with Bob Marley in a Kingston hotel suite in 1978 and proposed a collaboration that would have created the most explosive musical partnership of all time, Bob’s response shocked the King of Pop and proved that some artists value message over money, soul over stardom, and spiritual integrity over commercial success. “There is a fundamental difference between entertainment and enlightenment and… sometimes… legendary artists (choose) principles over profit and (stay) true to their spiritual mission. “Los Angeles, California, October 20th, 1978. 2:15 p.m. Michael Jackson sat in his Beverly Hills recording studio, nervously adjusting his sequined glove as he reviewed documents his management team had prepared. “At 20 years old, Michael was transitioning from Jackson 5’s teen heartthrob to a solo superstar. And he needed something that would establish his credibility as a serious artist capable of bridging different musical worlds. That something he believed was Bob Marley. “The studio around Michael represented everything he had achieved and everything he hoped to transcend. Gold and platinum records lined the walls—achievements that had made him wealthy beyond imagination but hadn’t satisfied his artistic ambitions. Michael wanted respect from serious musicians, critics who dismissed pop music, and audiences who crave substance along with entertainment. “Michael’s management team had spent months reviewing the viability of collaborating with Bob Marley. The numbers were staggering. Michael’s pop audience combined with Bob’s growing international following could create a market of over 100 million potential record buyers. But for Michael, the appeal went deeper than commercial success. He genuinely admired Bob Marley’s music and the profound impact it had on people. “Michael’s mind flashed back to 1975 when Jackson 5 had performed in Kingston, Jamaica. That night backstage at the National Stadium, Michael had met Bob Marley for the first time. The encounter had left an indelible impression on the young entertainer. While Michael commanded stages through choreography, costume changes, and spectacular production, Bob’s power came from something entirely different—spiritual authority that needed no enhancement. “Michael remembered watching Bob perform that night from the wings. There were no costume changes, no elaborate stage effects, no choreographed dance moves – just Bob, his guitar, and a message that seemed to flow directly from his soul to the audience. Bob had been gracious but enigmatic during their brief meeting, treating the famous Jackson brother with the same humble respect he showed everyone. “Michael remembered being struck by Bob’s calm intensity, the way he seemed to be listening to something beyond the conversation, the profound peace that surrounded him despite the chaos of the music industry. “Young Michael,” Bob had said, placing a gentle hand on the teenager’s shoulder. “Jah has given you great gifts. Use them to uplift people’s spirits.” At the time, Michael had interpreted this as encouragement for his entertainment career. Now he wondered if Bob had meant something deeper. “Three years later, Michael was ready to bridge their two worlds. He had prepared extensively, studying Bob’s interviews and understanding Rastapharian philosophy. But this wasn’t something that could be handled through phone calls or intermediaries. Michael knew he needed to travel to Jamaica and meet Bob face-to-face to demonstrate the seriousness of his proposal. “After 3 days of coordination through Chris Blackwell at Island Records, a meeting was arranged for October 23rd at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. Michael flew to Jamaica specifically for this encounter, understanding that the success of his proposal would depend on earning Bob’s respect through direct, honest conversation.” We shall continue the encounter between Bob Marley and Michael Jackson next week but to close this part one, let me return to the opening quote by Peter Tosh and ask: Has Whizkid demonstrated that he is as tough – not to talk of being tougher – than Fela and has he done a fraction of the things Fela did, which impacted peoples, governments, and Black identity worldwide? (TO BE CONTINUED). * Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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