Seun Kuti Claims Fela Kuti Pioneered Rap Music

Afrobeat star Seun Kuti has sparked debate after claiming his late father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, pioneered rap music.

Seun made the claim on the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, insisting that Fela rapped on his album “Authority Stealing.”

However, hip hop history credits DJ Kool Herc with shaping the early foundations of rap and hip hop through his breakbeat style in 1973, years before “Authority Stealing” was released in 1980.

Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash are also widely recognised among the key pioneers of the genre.

Fela, meanwhile, remains best known for creating Afrobeat and using his music for political activism.

So, was Fela really the first to rap, or is Seun Kuti trying to rewrite rap history?

Also read: Seun Kuti Says He Is Not Using Wizkid’s Name to Stay Relevant