Burna Boy: Fela Wasn’t My Muse
Grammy-winning Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has downplayed suggestions that his artistry was directly inspired by Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.
In a recent chat with tennis icon Roger Federer, the “African Giant” revealed that while Fela’s music was present during his upbringing, it wasn’t the driving force behind his creativity. He recalled that the very first album he owned was an R&B record by Joe, gifted to him on his 10th birthday.
Burna Boy added that his grandfather, Benson Idonije—who once managed Fela—was the one who introduced him to the Afrobeat pioneer’s work. Beyond that, he highlighted Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III and Tupac’s Makaveli as albums that shaped his early listening experiences.
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When Federer pressed him on which project left the deepest mark, Burna Boy admitted, “Honestly, none,” though he conceded that Fela’s presence was undeniably “a big influence.”
His remarks stirred mixed reactions, especially as Burna Boy has sampled Fela’s sound in several of his own chart-toppers, including Ye, My Money, My Baby, and Gbona.
