Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno - Celebrities

Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno - Celebrities - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum › Entertainment › Celebrities › Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno (11224 Views)

Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Kingzjayzee(op): 1:34pm On Aug 28

Singer, Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno, has sparked controversy after claiming that the late music maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was not the originator of Afrobeats, as widely believed.

Speaking in a recent interview with Hot 97 FM in New York, Tekno argued that there are many music legends, such as Oliver De Coque, who also contributed to the evolution of Afrobeats as much as Fela did.

He claimed that Fela took “all the credits” because he was more travelled and “opportune.”

He explained that Fela was a legend who contributed immensely to the genre, but that others also deserved some credit.

“Fela is not the originator of Afrobeats. Lagos people and the Yorubas might say he is the one, but I am from the East, and we had legends like Oliver De Coque. Oliver De Coque made pure highlife music. Highlife is also Afrobeats.

“My song ‘Rara’ is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his music while growing up. He is a legend. He was the one who took Afrobeat international. But there are other people that we listen to. In the East, we had some legends who sang some type of music that, if you heard today, you wouldn’t believe was made in those times.

“I feel like these legends deserved more recognition. I would say I was more inspired by Oliver De Coque and his peers from the East. My dad used to play his music a lot.

“Fela gets all the credit because he travelled and performed with his band around the world. To some people, he is the originator of Afrobeats, but to me, there are a bunch of them— legends that no one speaks about,” Tekno said.

https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

43 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Flangelo12: 2:04pm On Aug 28*

Wrtin this one sabi.

We dey even try to resurrect your dead career, you come add this one on top.

huh

71 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by budaatum: 2:26pm On Aug 28

Kingzjayzee:
He claimed that Fela took “all the credits” because he was more travelled and “opportune.”

I don't think Fela took all the credit. The credit was given to him.

97 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Pillar12: 7:11pm On Aug 28

The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

115 Likes 6 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by PlasmaTV: 7:43pm On Aug 28

This is a very dicey topic abeg.

10 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by fredoooooo: 7:43pm On Aug 28

Another one ..na Techno be the originator ..

15 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by motymop: 7:43pm On Aug 28

I agree
Fela created afrobeat not afrobeats

Afrobeats was just a name given to all African music by rolling stones

49 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by PlasmaTV: 7:43pm On Aug 28

Pillar12:
The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

All generalizations are false, including this one.

29 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Nobody: 7:44pm On Aug 28

Na mr eazi way help you I blame sha

19 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by FreeStuffsNG: 7:44pm On Aug 28*

Kingzjayzee:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

Smh.

See how GenZ Tekno is fraudulently attempting to spin history. He should kuku include Dan Maraya of Jos too.

Oliver De Coque sings highlife like his peers and those ahead of him like Rex Lawson, Bobby Benson etc.

Only a fraud will come up today to claim Oliver De Coque sings afrobeat. He doesn't! Throughout his lifetime, Sir Oliver De Coque sings Ogene highlife and never at anytime deviated from his highlife music.

Afrobeat is not highlife! Fela created Afrobeat and his beats and lyrics were largely drawn from his Yoruba language he spins into pidgin.

"Water no get enemy" that Fela sang about, is a Yoruba proverb. And if you go and listen to his grandfather's Egba anthem, you will appreciate greatly how Fela drew richly from his Yoruba heritage.

86 Likes 6 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Iran2025: 7:45pm On Aug 28

Looking for how to revive his dead career. Idiot

34 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by KingOfAmebo(m): 7:46pm On Aug 28

Kingzjayzee:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

Flangelo12:
Wrtin this one sabi.

We dey even try to resurrect your dead career, you come add this one on top.

budaatum:
I don't think Fela took all the credit. The credit was given to him.

PlasmaTV:
This is a very dicey topic abeg.

Pillar12:
The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

motymop:
I agree
Fela created afrobeat not afrobeats

Afrobeats was just a name given to all African music by rolling stones

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh.

See how GenZ is fraudulently attempting to spin history. He should kuku include Dan Maraya of Jos too.

Oliver De Coque sings highlife like those ahead of him like Rex Lawson. Only a fraud will come up today to claim Oliver De Coque sings afrobeats. He doesn't!

Afrobeat is not highlife!

Mrexcell:
That's just the truth not only igbo highlife musicians but also ghanaian highlife musicians contributed greatly in creating afrobeats i even learnt it was ghanaians that actually created it.

Xcel2019:
Another debate has started

This confused artist no go let us hear word... grin

He is only digging the grave of his already dead career deeper by comparing Fela with Oliver De Coque like this... grin

He calls himself an artist but don't know the difference between Afrobeat and Highlife music, no be juju be that? How is Afrobeat the same with Highlife music? No wonder his music career didn't last up to 3 years... grin

38 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Hemanwel(m): 7:46pm On Aug 28*

Oliver De Coque sang more of Highlife music to entertain his audience; whereas, Fela used his Afrobeats songs to drag the government of that time against its repressive maladministrations.

13 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Zico007: 7:48pm On Aug 28

Kingzjayzee:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

That is not the question. Who is the originator of aafro beat?

2 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by callmeDDD: 7:48pm On Aug 28

What does this one know. Just noise.

Here we go again, always tribalist and creating unnecessary arguments. Someone who studied music created his style of music, called it afrobeat and promoted it everywhere he went. From no where now, someone who was never part of the crew is now a contributor. Why always measuring dickk with irrelevant things that doesn't even needed arguments? If credit needed to be given to anyone, it should be fellas Drummer Tony Allen in his early stages that modified his style of beat. With due respect, Oliver had his style of highlife music. Tekno should stop all these rubbish talk and give credit to who is due.
And to make it clear, afrobeat is different from afrobeats.

33 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Mrexcell(m): 7:50pm On Aug 28

That's just the truth not only igbo highlife musicians but also ghanaian highlife musicians contributed greatly in creating afrobeats i even learnt it was ghanaians that actually created it.

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by ARISHEM: 7:51pm On Aug 28

Nonsense talk from a small boy with a small brain.

22 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by westside365: 7:51pm On Aug 28

Pillar12:
The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

Una no go kill person with laughter😂😂😂

6 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Tenses: 7:53pm On Aug 28

This guy thinks making a controversial statement can put him back on the spot light.

The cassava crooner should know that highlife is just a part of afro beat.

Fela of blessed memories is the originator of afro beat.

25 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Yemimovich(m): 7:53pm On Aug 28

How highlife and afrobeat take resemble. Abi, Dem nor school Tekno well say Oliver De Coque na highlife artiste, while Fela originated Afrobeat, which other artistes dey fight over today as afrobeats

Kingzjayzee:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

15 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by iamnotillicit(m): 7:54pm On Aug 28*

Fela called his music Afrobeat not afrobeats

Oliver de coque has never said he sings afrobeat

It's highlife

Tecno might claim that he originated tecno mobile phones soon

23 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by buharibanjo(m): 7:54pm On Aug 28

Well Fela created Afrobeat not afrobeats
Na two different thing
Just give him the credit
No need for all these long talks

18 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by realsoftouch: 7:55pm On Aug 28

TECNO just shut up your mouth...

12 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Tenses: 7:55pm On Aug 28

Pillar12:
The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

Wizkid that said he's bigger than fela is Igbo too..

No let tribalism wound your life

9 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by Mrexcell(m): 7:56pm On Aug 28

Pillar12:
The tendency of Igbos to bring down others just to elevate their own.

Who TF is Oliver Twist abi Oliver Khan he's talking about

How did he bring down fela in his statements? He clearly acknowledged him and call him a legend but corrected the impression that fela created afrobeats which is very true because there were actually also other well known afrobeats musicians that were popular at that time even in ghana.

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by kakaG: 7:57pm On Aug 28

Igbo don turn diswan head upside down. Is highlife music same as Afro beats?

This is what I have been complaining about for years ooo, if all these quack musicians learnt music well they know that the characteristics of highlife is nothing compared to afrobeats. Read music una no gree...learn am well like trade una no gree. Shortcuts wan kill una....nonsense

14 Likes

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by gabicon: 7:59pm On Aug 28

Afrobeat is combining West African rhythms with jazz and funk. Highlife is guitar-driven, melodic West African sound. They are different. Fela is the originator of afrobeat, Oliver sang highlife. The Europeans could connect more with Fela because his music reminded them of Jazz and funk while Oliver could only reach our local audience. Both great musicians with different styles.

16 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Fela Not Originator Of Afrobeats – Tekno by DonG8(m): 8:02pm On Aug 28

Whatcha you saying... Keep quiet there

Kingzjayzee:
https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/28/fela-not-originator-of-afrobeats-tekno-claims/

5 Likes

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