Veteran Nigerian music producer ID Cabasa has challenged Akon’s recent assertion that he played a major role in the creation of Afrobeats.
According to Cabasa, the Afrobeats genre had already been flourishing before Akon collaborated with Nigerian stars like P-Square and Wizkid.
He highlighted that influential artists such as 2Face Idibia, 9ice, and Timaya were already making waves and defining the sound long before Akon’s involvement.
Cabasa also addressed Akon’s claim of discovering Wizkid, clarifying that it was Banky W who initially signed the singer to Empire Mates Entertainment (EME). It was only later that EME partnered with Akon’s label.
He stressed that Afrobeats is not the invention of a single person, but rather a cultural evolution shaped by numerous artists and producers. “Akon cannot take credit for creating Afrobeats,” Cabasa said, noting that Akon’s impact was more in terms of helping distribute and market the genre globally rather than originating it.
ID Cabasa, speaking in pidgin, said, “Akon for also tok say na he still discovered the likes of 2Face, Timaya, 9ice and Co. Na the people wey he roll with when he come Nigeria, wey tell am say, ‘I’m the biggest person around this place.’ So, he properly feels he pioneered business and branding sides of Afrobeats.
“Even the way wey he take dey tok about Wizkid, no be wettin the story be be that. We all know say na Banky W dem sign Wizkid. Yes, we collaborate with Akon in terms of distribution but e no mean say he go tok say na he create Afrobeats. Because Afrobeats no be wettin wey one person create, na culture.”
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