Femi Kuti Clarifies: Tony Allen Didn’t Co-Create Afrobeat With Fela Kuti

Renowned Nigerian musician Femi Kuti, son of the legendary Afrobeat icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has categorically denied the widely circulated notion that the late drummer Tony Allen co-founded the Afrobeat genre alongside his father.

In a recently posted video on his official social media platform, Femi addressed what he described as a false narrative. He clarified that although Tony Allen was a talented drummer and worked closely with Fela as a lead percussionist and music director, he did not co-create Afrobeat.

According to Femi, the rhythmic foundation and musical patterns attributed to Afrobeat were exclusively developed by Fela Kuti himself. He stated:

“My father was a highly skilled multi-instrumentalist and composer. He studied music and understood every aspect of his instruments. Some people claim Fela once said, ‘Without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat.’ That’s completely untrue and misleading.”

Femi added that while Allen was instrumental in executing Fela’s vision, Fela taught him the drum patterns that have since become synonymous with the genre. The artist emphasized that Afrobeat’s signature beats and musical direction came solely from his father’s creativity and spiritual depth during the composition process.

“Fela created the beats. He was in a spiritual trance whenever he composed music, and no one was allowed to interrupt. There are no records, interviews, or articles proving Fela credited Tony Allen with co-creating Afrobeat,” Femi insisted.

He also challenged critics and commentators to provide documented evidence where Fela openly acknowledged Allen as a co-founder of Afrobeat. According to him, no such evidence exists.

Tony Allen has long been hailed internationally as a key figure in Afrobeat’s development. His collaboration with Fela led to the birth of iconic tracks and a new wave of African rhythm. However, Femi’s assertion redefines the conversation, placing full creative credit on Fela Kuti alone.

For a comprehensive history of Afrobeat and its cultural impact, visit BBC’s feature on Afrobeat’s evolution.