Femi Kuti: Don't pity Africa, visit it

Matthew Fleischer of the LA Weekly sat down with Femi Kuti, son of "Black President" and Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti, before his concert at the House of Blues last week. This exchange stood out for me:

What’s your take on Bono and concerts like Live 8 that campaign on behalf of Africa?

Bono doesn’t need to tell us that we are poor. We know we are poor. All these concerts come and go and nothing changes in Africa.

 So then what’s the best way for concerned Americans to get involved with helping Africa?

Not to feel sorry for us but to be positive toward us. Do more business with us. Come and visit us. We, in turn, have to get stronger and not rely on leaders to do everything for us. We must take action ourselves. But Western democracies must also stop turning a blind eye to African corruption and start taking action — then we can start moving forward as a nation.

Read more at the link, and go here for Matt's review of the live show. More on Femi and Fela here and here. In 2004 I was able to catch the exhibition on the life and art of Fela during its stand at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. The catalogue is very good, with essays by Jeff Chang and others. Here's your YouTube fix.

* Photo of Femi by Universal Music France.

Comments

[rebecca]

of course bono has been to africa. nonetheless (is that the new n word?), these western celebs who desire to mitigate their professional narcissism by "saving" africa do share many problematic features. the decision to focus on buying AIDS drugs rather than funding public works like simple water cleaning or transport devices is one such problematic. AIDS drugs make money for western companies, who will sponsor large concerts....the self-serving assumptions become hidden under a smarmy veneer. i prefer regular old selfishness to that crap. there's also the dimension of art, which is another conversation.

[Daniel H.]

You're right. What do you mean by the dimension of art, though? Art as in music and "culture" production, or fine art, indigenous arts?