Popular American rapper, Fat Joe, has generated controversy when he stated that Afrobeats originated from Jamaica.

He made the controversial claim in a recent episode of his Joe and Jada podcast, which featured Jamaican dancehall legend Buju Banton as a guest.

“Jamaica started Afrobeats. Even though everything comes from Africa,” Fat Joe declared.

Buju Banton did not correct the claim but redirected the discussion to the origins of reggaeton, crediting Panamanian rapper El General for pioneering the genre and influencing others.

The claim has triggered strong backlash on social media, with many accusing Fat Joe of historical inaccuracy and diminishing the African origins of the hugely popular genre.

This latest controversy came after Buju Banton previously criticised Afrobeats artists.

In a 2024 interview on the Drink Champs podcast, the dancehall star accused them of borrowing from Jamaican reggae and dancehall without proper credit.

He also described Afrobeats as lacking substance and predicted that the genre would eventually fade away.

The afrobeats genre, deeply rooted in Afrobeat, was a revolutionary sound created by Nigerian music icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in the 1970s, while blending elements of highlife, hip-hop, R&B, and other global influences.

Currently, Nigeria's Burna Boy, Wizkid and Davido are the most popular ambassadors of the genre.