With most rappers either creating lame duck marketing disses or swallowing anything worthwhile they might have to say as to not disturb rap’s circle jerk, it’s actually refreshing to hear somebody throw in a couple no-holds-barred and sincere jabs in the direction of those emcees. The Kuti family has never been known to hold their tongue, and Seun Kuti, son of the legendary afrobeat pioneer, doesn’t break that tradition in this interview with Okayafrica, the African music subsidiary of Okayplayer.
These days I listen to hip-hop and there’s no distinguishing line between hip-hop and pop music. There’s no difference between a so-called gangsta rapper anymore and, Celine Dion. You listen to them and they are singing “lalalala” with their autotune and all that. (…) I love hip-hop because I thought it was music for change. But that’s gone now. Everybody’s just chucking sh*t, pardon my French. (…) Nobody is thinking about their brother, everybody is thinking about the dollar. They should be ashamed of themselves, with all their dollar signs, in their eyeballs, nothing but dollar signs. They forgot their people. They’re all traitors to hip-hop.
Take note rappers. Seun Kuti’s new album (with pop’s band Egypt 80)‘From Africa With Fury: Rise’ is available now. Enjoy the title track to the album below.
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