Afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti, has dismissed claims that the late legendary drummer, Tony Allen, co-pioneered Afrobeat music with his father, the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Femi Kuti said this in reaction to multiple foreign media platforms crediting the late drummer as a co-pioneer of the music genre.

On the website of Grammy Awards, Tony Allen is credited as a co-pioneer of the genre.

"Allen is known as a co-founder of Afrobeat for his groundbreaking work with his musical compatriot Fela Kuti in the '60s and '70s as drummer and musical director for Kuti's group Africa '70. The musical style they created together combined West African fuji music with American jazz and funk for some powerfully rhythmic and original that continues to influence musicians in many genres today," a statement by Grammy Awards read.

The website also quoted Fela as saying, "Without Tony Allen, there would be no afrobeat."

Reacting to the credits given to Tony Allen, Femi Kuti described claims that he co-pioneered Afrobeat as a lie, adding that Fela actually taught him his style of drums.

Femi Kuti said, “My father was a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He studied music. He knows every single part of his instrument. You probably have reas that they said he said, ‘Without Tony Allen, there is no Afrobeat.’ That is the biggest bullsh*t ever said about my father. It is such a big lie.

“They tried to sell Tony Allen so they decided to lie. Yes, he was a good drummer but Fela taught him his style of drums. Fela came up with all his drum patterns. We saw it.

“I was a child, a teenager, a man, we saw Fela do it. Fela wrote all his patterns. I keep telling them, why didn’t Tony Allen tell us which songs he did for Fela? He couldn’t because there was no song that Fela asked him to put the drum pattern for him. It is impossible.

“When Fela was writing, no one could make any inputs because he goes into trance while making music. Everyone around him them must maintain calmness and listen to his composition and instructions.

“So, I asked those saying Fela credited Allen for Afrobeat where he did and they can’t produce it. There is no article, recording or footage from any interview to prove it. It is impossible that Fela would make such a statement and there is no copy anywhere.”

ASA