Femi Kuti, the son of the legendary Fela Kuti, has stirred controversy by rejecting claims that Tony Allen, the late drummer and collaborator, co-pioneered Afrobeats alongside his father.
In a video shared on social media, the Grammy-nominated artist dismissed the widespread belief that Allen contributed to the creation of Afrobeats, asserting that Fela was solely responsible for the genre’s drum patterns and overall musical direction.
Femi Kuti explained, “My father was a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He taught Tony Allen his style of drums, just like he did with all his other musicians.” He went on to criticize the narrative that has placed Allen at the center of Afrobeats’ creation, calling the statement “the biggest bullsh*t ever said about my father.”
The claim that “without Tony Allen, there is no Afrobeats” has been widely circulated, but Femi Kuti rejected this, stating that Fela developed all the drum patterns and composed the music himself. He further emphasized that Fela’s creative process was solitary, with no contributions from any musician, including Allen.
The comments have reignited debates about the roles of key figures in Afrobeats’ development and have sparked conversations on how Fela’s legacy is perceived and represented. While Fela’s influence is unquestionable, Femi’s words raise important questions about the historical narrative surrounding the genre’s origin.
