Tommy, you arrived in Italy with your family from Nigeria when you were just two years old. How do you remember those early years in Italy? What was the experience that marked you the most during that period?
Those early years were a mix of discoveries and difficulties. I was a child, so I adapted quickly, but at the same time, I perceived the differences between me and my peers. The thing that marked me the most was the feeling of always being a little out of place: at home we spoke Yoruba, we ate Nigerian food, while outside everything was Italian. Growing up, I understood that this dual identity was a richness, but as a child it was more complicated to manage.
You grew up in a small town like Castiglione delle Stiviere, which is certainly not a large urban center. How did you find it growing up in such a different context compared to what you would have found in Nigeria?
Castiglione is a small place, and when I was little there were very few Black people. This meant that at school or around town I always felt like “the other,” the one to be observed, the different one. At the same time, however, living there taught me to adapt, to understand the Italian mentality well, and to build my identity in a unique way. In a certain sense, growing up in such a small place pushed me to want to tell more about my experience and that of many young people like me.
Your identity as an Afro-Italian is a theme that strongly permeates your music. How do you define the concept of “Afro-Italianness” and how have you experienced the journey of uniting two cultures as strong as the Italian and the Nigerian?
For me, “Afro-Italianness” is the fusion between two worlds, it’s living daily with two cultures that often seem opposite but that, in reality, influence each other. It’s growing up with Fela Kuti and Jovanotti, eating pounded yam and pasta with tomato sauce, speaking Italian outside the home and Yoruba inside. It’s also having to fight to be recognized as Italian, because often we are perceived as “other.” In my music, I always try to tell this reality, to make people understand that there is an Italy that is also Afro, that is new, vibrant, and full of stories to tell.
What are the values you carry with you from your experience in Nigeria and how do you convey them in your music?
The strongest values I carry with me are resilience, a sense of community, and spirituality. Nigerians are people who never give up, who work hard to achieve their dreams, and this mentality is something that has always pushed me not to give up in my music career. Then there’s the concept of community: in Nigeria, family and friends are everything, and this is reflected a lot in the way I’ve built my journey with my crew and my people. Finally, spirituality: even though I don’t define myself as a super religious person, I know that faith and belief in one’s goals are fundamental to go far.
Italy has a very rich and varied musical culture. How have you integrated Italian sounds with the Afrobeat tradition What elements of Italian culture most influence your music?
Italy has an incredible musical tradition, and I have always tried to find a meeting point between this world and Afrobeat sounds. I listened to a lot of Italian music growing up, so I absorbed certain melodies and ways of writing naturally. Furthermore, Italian is a musical language, and even though I often rap in English or Yoruba, I like to use Italian to give a unique touch to my songs. However, the Italian element that influences me the most is storytelling: in Italy there is a great culture of singer-songwriters, of telling stories, and I always try to bring this approach to my lyrics.
‘Big Boy’ represents a new phase in your musical career? What inspired you to write this song?
Yes, ‘Big Boy’ is a turning point for me. It’s a piece that celebrates everything I’ve become over these years: an independent artist, a self-confident man, someone who has achieved a lot without ever losing his own identity. My journey inspired me, the fact that after ten years of making music I’m still here, stronger than before. And then, of course, there’s also the ironic side: in Italy, there’s little talk about body positivity for men, and I wanted to send a clear message: being ‘big’ is not a limitation, it’s a distinctive trait.
You often talk about identity and belonging. Do you think that music, and in particular Afrobeats, can contribute to telling universal stories and making people identify with them?
Absolutely yes. Music is a very powerful tool for telling who we are and for making people feel less alone. Afrobeats, in particular, is a genre that speaks of energy, joy, and struggle, and these emotions are universal. Even those who are not Afro-Italian can find themselves in my lyrics, because in the end I talk about common experiences: growing up with multiple cultures, feeling out of place, searching for one’s own space in the world.
Where do we see Tommy Kuti in the coming years, both as an artist and as a person?
I see an even stronger, more international Tommy Kuti. I want to take my music outside of Italy, to make myself known in the global Afrobeats scene. At the same time, I want to continue to be a point of reference for my community in Italy, to give space to new Afro-Italian voices and to always tell stories that make a difference. And then, who knows… maybe one day you’ll also see me in different roles, like a producer or entrepreneur. The future is full of possibilities!