Fat Joe Claims Jamaica Started Afrobeats, Critics Disagree
American rapper Fat Joe has stirred debate after he claimed that Afrobeats has roots in Jamaica.
He made the remark during a recent episode of the Joe And Jada Podcast, where Jamaican star Buju Banton appeared as a guest.
Fat Joe argued that Jamaica started Afrobeats, while still acknowledging Africa as the deeper source of musical influence.
Banton did not challenge the statement. Instead, he shifted the discussion to El General and highlighted his role in shaping reggaeton and its wider impact on global sounds.
Music historians trace Afrobeats to West Africa and link it closely to Afrobeat, the genre Nigerian icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti pioneered.
This is not the first time Banton has raised concerns.
In past interviews, he accused Afrobeats artistes of borrowing from Jamaican styles without proper credit and questioned the genre’s staying power.
