Femi Kuti Slams Grammy’s Tony Allen Co-Creator Claim: ‘Fela Alone Created Afrobeat’
Femi Kuti Challenges Grammy’s Narrative on Afrobeat’s Origins Afrobeat royalty Femi Kuti , son of the legendary Fela Kuti , has publicly refuted claims that late drummer Tony Allen co-created the iconic Afrobeat genre. The controversy resurfaced after the Recording Academy (The Grammys) credited Allen as a co-founder of Afrobeat, acknowledging his influential work with Fela during the 1960s and ’70s. While Allen, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 79, is celebrated for his powerful drumming with Fela’s Africa ’70 band , Femi insists that his father was the sole visionary behind the genre. In a now-viral video, Femi passionately defended Fela’s legacy, asserting that every element of Afrobeat — including its signature drum patterns — originated from Fela himself. Femi’s Defense of Fela’s Legacy In the video, Femi emphasized that Fela was the mastermind behind Afrobeat, […]
