Seun Kuti, a Grammy-nominated Afrobeat musician, has accused the Nigerian media of treating him like someone from Togo.
He expressed frustration that Damini Ogulu, fondly called Burna Boy, was credited for a record made by him and others in the Nigerian music industry.
The father of one pointed out that while Burna Boy was widely reported as the first Nigerian artist to perform at Coachella in 2020, he himself had already played at the festival in 2012.
Kuti also highlighted that before Burna Boy’s Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album with “African Giant,” his older brother, Femi Kuti, had received multiple nominations in the same category.
In a recent interview with The Public Republic, the singer expressed his disappointment that despite his album “Black Times” being nominated for Best World Music Album years ago, it was overlooked by African award organizers.
Furthermore, Kuti noted that although he earned another Grammy nomination for his contributions to Janelle Monae’s “Age of Pleasure,” which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys, however, the media failed to acknowledge him among the Nigerian artists nominated for the 66th Grammys.
“My brother Femi Kuti has been nominated at the Grammys multiple times. They’ve nominated me, I was also nominated in the last edition.
“It was only my name that the Nigerian media didn’t mention among the Nigerian artists who were nominated for the 66th Grammys.
“That’s what they do every time as if I’m from Togo.
“That’s how they said Burna boy was the first Nigerian artiste to play in Coachella in 2020 where I’ve played in 2012 as if I’m from Togo,” he said.