Singer Tekno has come under heavy criticism for downplaying the fact that the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti founded the music genre Afrobeat, which later inspired the modern genre Afrobeats.

Speaking during a Hot 97 interview, Tekno said Fela gets too much credit for Afrobeat, even though other musicians existed during his time.

This was as he failed to acknowledge Fela as the originator of Afrobeat,

He said, "“I don’t know, to be honest. There are legends like Oliver De Coque that made pure highlife music, and highlife is also Afrobeat. So I would say for the people in Lagos and Yorubas, a record of mine that is ‘Rara’ is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his tune and he is a legend. He stamped the Afrobeat thing on the world map.”

“But there are other people that we listen to from the East, because I am from the East, and we had legends that sang some type of music that if you heard today, you wouldn’t even believe that this music was made in those times. I feel like they don’t know these guys or maybe they didn’t come across them.”

Tekno said his appreciation for these older musicians began at home, revealing that his father played their records while he was growing up.

“I would say I was more inspired by Oliver De Coque because my dad used to play his records. There were so many artists that nobody knows about, and Fela gets the credit because he kind of travelled and had the band and went around the world.”

“For some people, he is the originator of the Afrobeat thing, but to me, there is still a bunch of them and a lot of legends no one speaks about.”

Reacting, an X user, @Obeyamark, said, "Can't lie, it's just occurring to me that a lot of the slander Fela faces is tribal. This is someone that was very pro-Nigeria and Pan African o. This is sad. Anyway, Tekno —and people like him— is foolish and what he's saying is ahistorical. Fela, in fact, started a genre of music called Afrobeat. He laid the groundwork that inspired and still inspires a lot of artistes today in Nigeria and beyond. That genre he started is a significant bedrock of what later became known as Afrobeats, which fuses many elements together."

@lifeinSchool_ said, "Tekno himself said Fela inspired his biggest song “Rara”as an Afrobeats Artist, yet turn around to say he is not the founder. Oliver D’coup, Osadebe are highlife singer; highlife had its root in Ghana and Fela is also among the first Nigerians to explore that same genre. Those Tekno mentioned can’t even sell our shows outside their region apart from being invited by Igbo clubs, unions in Europe, haven’t watched any of their tour videos, that’s if they have one."

@ziondflutter said, "This guy is just an olodo big time. For someone to fuse these genres together, what does that entail? It means he had that intellectual capability. I did a course while in school about popular music in Nigeria, and yes, highlife wasn't even owned by Nigeria self; it was Ghanaian."

@ziondflutter said, "It's actually annoying that someone like this guy whom I respect would come out to be talking nonsense. Fela's music that is being studied by Westerners, arranged in staff. Tekno, please just rest."

@Akikanju1568901 said, "Just listen to him with his deception; he sampled Fela, he used Fela's name, game and glory in his song, but he couldn't sample his own so-called Ibo heroes that inspired him. The thing is, they cannot sell any song without inserting Yoruba words or lyrics. Flavour used the word Agba in his Agba Baller song to make it relevant and accepted. Hateful and bitter ungrateful bunch.."

@ubanfashio12176 said, "@alhajitekno you are not even intelligent, simple and reasonable question you turned it into laughing matter. Who among those that you mentioned reach where Fela got to when he was alive?You even said is Yorubas that hype him called him father of Afrobeat. Who else that you mumu?"

ASA