Seun Kuti claims his father Fela pioneered rap music, sparking debate over the origins of hip-hop and Afrobeat’s influence

Nigerian singer and Afrobeat artist Seun Kuti has claimed that his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, also pioneered rap music.

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Seun Kuti cited Fela’s 1980 album Authority Stealing, noting that his father performed in a style similar to rapping before it was formally known as Rap.

“Fela was the first person to rap. He did a bit of rapping on the album Authority Stealing. When he did it, we didn’t know it was going to be called ‘Rap’,” he said.

The claim, however, has drawn scrutiny from music historians, as rap music is widely credited to DJ Kool Herc, who began pioneering the breakbeat in 1973, years before the release of Fela’s album.

Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash are also acknowledged as foundational figures who shaped hip-hop and the rap genre.

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti remains celebrated globally for creating Afrobeat, a genre blending funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and West African rhythms, as well as for his outspoken political activism.

Seun Kuti’s assertion highlights the ongoing conversation about the cross-cultural influences between Afrobeat and hip-hop, despite clear historical timelines.

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The discussion has sparked debate online, with music enthusiasts and critics weighing in on the connections between Afrobeat rhythms and early rap flows, while some caution against conflating influence with the origin of an entirely separate musical genre.