Fat Joe Faces Backlash for Asserting Afrobeats Roots in Jamaica

Rapper Fat Joe has ignited a debate by suggesting that Afrobeats has its origins in Jamaica. He made these remarks during a recent installment of the Joe And Jada podcast, where he was joined by dancehall artist Buju Banton.

While acknowledging that all music traces back to Africa, Fat Joe insisted that Jamaica was the birthplace of the genre. Buju Banton did not contest this statement; instead, he shifted the conversation to the influence of Panamanian artist El General on the development of reggaeton.

Despite Fat Joe’s assertion, historical consensus credits West Africa with the birth of Afrobeats, noting its deep ties to the Afrobeat style championed by Nigerian icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Banton, notably, has previously been critical of Afrobeats performers, accusing them of appropriating Jamaican reggae and dancehall sounds without proper acknowledgment. In a 2024 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, the reggae star predicted that Afrobeats lacks longevity and would eventually lose its relevance.