I Have Been Blacklisted For 13 Years, Says Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti (Nigerian singer)

Afrobeat artist Seun Kuti says he has been blacklisted from the Nigerian music scene for 13 years because his songs carry a political message.

He explained that the government and industry bosses often ignore musicians who speak out against bad leadership. According to Kuti, those in power would rather support artists who don't sing about the country's real problems.

Speaking on the Saleh Meditate podcast, he said his music was strictly limited after he performed at an event for a former Lagos State Governor.

“I have been cancelled for about 13 years now. People think I am not cancelled because I am doing well, but Nigeria is just a small percentage of my market,” he said.

The son of the late Fela Kuti pointed out that the government saw how much influence music had through his father’s legacy. As a result, he claims they started backing "superficial artists" to quieten down songs of protest.

He mentioned that many of today’s artists are scared of being shunned because they get most of their money from fans in Nigeria. However, he made it clear that his global following has kept him successful, even with the local bans in place.