Seun Kuti Declares Fela Kuti as Rap’s True Originator, Citing 1980 Album

Seun Kuti has sparked debate by asserting that his father, iconic Afrobeat creator Fela Kuti, was the first to perform rap music. In an interview on the Hits Don’t Lie podcast, the 43-year-old artist referenced Fela’s 1980 release Authority Stealing, contending that it contained early examples of rapping before the genre had a name.

“Fela was the first person to rap,” Seun stated. “He did a bit of rapping on the album Authority Stealing. When he did it, we didn’t know it was going to be called ‘rap.’”

This assertion, however, contrasts with the commonly accepted history of rap’s emergence. Most music scholars place the birth of rap or hip hop in the early 1970s, originating from block parties in New York City where DJs would loop and extend instrumental breaks from funk, soul, and disco records.