Tekno challenges Fela's sole credit for Afrobeats origins

Nigerian artist Tekno has disputed the widespread belief that late music icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti single-handedly created Afrobeats, instead crediting a broader network of musicians with developing the genre. Speaking during an interview on New York radio station Hot 97, Tekno contended that Fela deserves recognition as a major influence but should not be positioned as the exclusive originator of the sound.

Tekno pointed to his upbringing in Eastern Nigeria as shaping his musical perspective, citing exposure to highlife music and particularly the work of the late Oliver De Coque, a celebrated figure from that region. He suggested that musicians across different parts of Nigeria contributed meaningfully to what eventually became known as Afrobeats, yet many of these contributors have remained largely overshadowed in popular historical narratives.

According to Tekno's account, Fela's prominence in discussions about the genre's origins stems partly from his extensive international touring and global visibility rather than from being its sole architect. This distinction, Tekno implied, meant that other homegrown talents who played instrumental roles in shaping the sound failed to achieve comparable recognition outside Nigeria and in historical documentation.

Tekno acknowledged Fela's significant impact on his own musical development while maintaining that a more complete understanding of Afrobeats requires acknowledging the foundational work of additional artists. The singer's comments during the Hot 97 interview have effectively reopened broader conversations within Nigerian music circles about how the genre's history is recorded and remembered, particularly regarding which figures receive credit for its evolution.