Singer Adekunle Temitope, popularly known as Small Doctor, has said Fuji music is gradually fading and needs urgent rescue before it disappears completely.

He made the statement via his official X (formerly Twitter) page, where he expressed concern about the future of the popular Yoruba genre.

According to him, the genre has not produced any new breakout star since the rise of Fuji singer Remi Aluko over 20 years ago.

He wrote, “I stand to be corrected. I feel Fuji music is dying and something needs to be fixed urgently… After the blowing up of Remi Aluko and the likes in 2001 or 2002, I haven’t heard nor seen another Fuji artist blow up.”

Fuji music, which started in the 1960s from the Islamic ajísari (or wéré) sound used to wake Muslims before dawn during Ramadan, was shaped into a full genre by the late Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who also gave it its name, after Japan’s Mount Fuji.

Over the years, legendary acts like K1 De Ultimate, Obesere, Saheed Osupa, and Pasuma kept the genre alive with street concerts and album drops.

While modern pop stars like Olamide, 9ice, Seyi Vibez, and Qdot have borrowed from Fuji sounds, Small Doctor believes the core genre is no longer getting the recognition or fresh talents it deserves.

The 28-year-old singer, known for blending street hop with Fuji vibes in songs like “Penalty” and “Mosquito Killer”, now joins the growing list of artistes calling for renewed support for the genre.