Made Kuti says Fela Kuti died broke despite earning big, due to his generosity and open-door lifestyle.
He revealed Fela gave away money freely and treated everyone equally, even his own children.
Made Kuti, grandson of legendary Afrobeat icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has revealed that the music pioneer died poor despite earning substantial wealth during his lifetime.
Speaking on a recent episode of ‘the Tea With Tay’ podcast hosted by Taymesan, Made explained that Fela’s financial struggles were a result of his extreme generosity and open-door lifestyle.
“Fela died broke. He had the kind of money that could buy a whole street, but after a show, he’d return to Kalakuta with a box full of cash and simply tell anyone who needed money to take what they wanted,” Made said. “His house was open to everyone people could walk in and out freely.”
He also noted that Fela treated everyone equally, refusing to give his children special privileges. “We couldn’t call him ‘dad’ or ‘father’ because he didn’t want us to feel entitled,” he added.
Made further revealed that Fela received more recognition abroad than in Nigeria during his lifetime.
