Maverick Nigerian singer and activist, Seun Kuti, has stirred conversation online after claiming that his late father, Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, pioneered rap music.
Seun made the assertion during a recent episode of the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, where he argued that Fela employed an early form of rap-style delivery on his 1980 album Authority Stealing.
According to Seun Kuti, Fela’s spoken-word approach on the album fits the definition of rap, even though the genre had not yet been formally identified at the time.
He explained that when Fela delivered those verses, neither the artiste nor listeners recognised the style as what would later be known globally as rap music.
However, Seun Kuti’s claim contrasts with widely accepted accounts of hip-hop history. DJ Kool Herc, one of the most influential figures in the emergence of hip-hop culture, is credited with introducing the breakbeat style in the Bronx, New York, in 1973, several years before Authority Stealing was released.
Music historians also recognise DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash as the pioneers who collectively shaped rap and hip-hop into a defined genre during the 1970s.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, on the other hand, is globally celebrated for creating Afrobeat, a genre that blends funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and traditional West African rhythms. Beyond music, Fela was also renowned for using his art as a tool for political resistance and social commentary.
While Seun Kuti’s remarks have reignited debates about genre boundaries and musical influence, many observers note that spoken-word elements have appeared across different cultures and musical traditions, often predating formal genre labels.
The discussion has since drawn mixed reactions online, with fans and critics weighing in on whether Fela’s experimental delivery can be considered an early form of rap or simply another example of his genre-defying creativity.
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