American rapper Fat Joe has sparked debate after suggesting that Afrobeats originated from Jamaica.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Joe and Jada podcast, which featured Jamaican dancehall artiste Buju Banton, Fat Joe claimed that Jamaica played a foundational role in the creation of the genre, while acknowledging that its broader roots trace back to Africa.
“Jamaica started Afrobeats. Even though everything comes from Africa,” he said during the discussion.
“Jamaica Started Afrobeats”
Fatjoe in new interview with Buju Banton pic.twitter.com/IIZ1d5oY6V
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Buju Banton did not directly challenge the statement, instead shifting the conversation to the development of reggaeton, referencing Panamanian artist El General and his influence on the genre’s evolution.
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However, Fat Joe’s comments have drawn attention, as Afrobeats is widely recognised as originating from West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana. The genre is also closely linked to Afrobeat, pioneered by Nigerian music icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
The discussion also revived previous criticism from Buju Banton, who has accused Afrobeats artists of borrowing heavily from Jamaican reggae and dancehall without proper credit. In a 2024 interview on the Drink Champs podcast, he further argued that Afrobeats lacks depth and may not stand the test of time.
