DJ Cuppy: Why some people doubted my involvement in #EndSARS protest

DJ Cuppy, Nigerian disc jockey (DJ), says many people doubted the genuineness of her activism during the #EndSARS protest due to her wealthy background.

The entertainer spoke during an interview with Presenting, a UK-based talk show, wherein she reflected on her music career and the socio-political issues affecting Nigeria.

Cuppy was among celebrities who participated in the movement aimed at putting an end to police brutality last year after the initial controversy that greeted her alleged silence on the protest at the time.

But speaking on the show, the 28-year-old said some people faulted her involvement in the movement because they believe she had never been a victim of police brutality.

The ‘Gelato’ crooner, however, dismissed such mindset, noting that the movement was a reality which “affects everybody.”

“I have a responsibility as a Nigerian to do what I can to raise awareness, and also do what I can to make sure that people know what is going on,” she said.

“A lot of people have spoken to me about it, and they have actually accused me of not understanding it because of my influence and my positioning.

“I’ve never been stopped by SARS before but my team has, my friends have, and it’s really important that people understand that just because I haven’t had it happen directly to me, doesn’t mean that I can’t understand. So for me, I think it’s a problem that affects everybody.”

Cuppy, whose real name is Florence Otedola, also talked about her experiences with racial prejudice since moving to the UK at the age of 13.

“For me, it was very difficult because growing up in Nigeria, I didn’t really experience racism. My teachers were black, the doctors were black, lawyers were black. So, moving to the UK, and especially moving to the US, is really where I started to notice the disparity and where I really started to experience racism,” she said.

“The minute I moved here, from thirteen in boarding school, I always realised. It was pointed out that I looked different, I sounded different, my background was different, my culture was different. And no amount of money, no amount of positioning can ever change that.”

The award-winning winning DJ also reflected on how Fela Kuti, the late Afrobeat legend, influenced her music career.

Cuppy commended the heroics of Burna Boy, whom she described as a “phenomenal artiste”, adding that she’s currently working on a project with Nissi, his sister.

The interview, published on Thursday, was originally recorded last November, some days after the #EndSARS protest.