American rapper Fat Joe has sparked fresh outrage after claiming that Afrobeats originated from Jamaica, adding to growing criticism over his recent remarks about hip-hop’s origins.
During a podcast episode featuring Jamaican dancehall legend Buju Banton, Fat Joe declared, “Jamaica started Afrobeats. Even though everything comes from Africa.”
Nigerians and Afrobeats enthusiasts have slammed the veteran rapper for the “rubbish talk,” pointing out that Afrobeats is widely recognised as a genre that emerged from Nigeria, evolving from Afrobeat, pioneered by the legendary Fela Kuti in the 1970s.
The backlash comes just days after Fat Joe faced intense criticism for claiming that Puerto Ricans and Latinos were “50/50 co-creators” of hip-hop alongside Black Americans in the Bronx. Critics and historians largely maintain that hip-hop is an African-American movement, with Latino involvement acknowledged but not equal to Black contribution.
Social media users have accused Fat Joe of attempting to rewrite history, with many suggesting he focus on his “dead career” instead of making false claims. “First hip-hop, now Afrobeats? Fat Joe needs to stop,” one user wrote.
Fat Joe has yet to respond to the criticism. Meanwhile, Nigerians have made it clear: Afrobeats is proudly Nigerian.
