Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has shared a deeply emotional reflection on his early music career and the painful fallout from his decision to forge a path separate from his father, the legendary Fela Kuti.

In a recent appearance on the Sonical.ly podcast, Femi revealed that Fela refused to teach him music, forcing him to learn and grow independently. His decision to branch out was met with backlash from Fela’s loyal fanbase, who accused him of opposing his father.

“When I left my father, his fanbase completely turned against me. They said, ‘how dare you fight Fela?’, and it wasn’t even a fight,” Femi said, describing how misunderstood he felt at the time.

He spoke candidly about feeling lost, lacking formal education, and facing rejection from both the public and his father. “They thought I was protesting against him, and somehow everyone forgot he was my father,” he said. “It was better I died trying than to turn back.”

Femi also recounted a particularly painful moment when Fela publicly dismissed his debut album as “rubbish” during its launch. “I was so upset. I was like, ‘How dare he say that?’” he recalled.

Despite the early hardship and public criticism, Femi said his determination never wavered, and he’s stayed true to his journey ever since.