Senegalese-American singer, Akon, has stated that he played a crucial role in the emergence and international rise of the Afrobeats genre through his early collaborations with Nigerian artists and music industry players in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Speaking in an interview on Sherri, the music star reflected on his work with prominent Nigerian acts such as Wizkid, Banky W, P-Square, and D’banj, claiming that their collective efforts during that era laid the foundation for what is now globally recognized as Afrobeats.
Akon noted that he signed Wizkid to his label, Konvict Muzik, in 2008 and subsequently partnered with other top Nigerian artists, helping shape the sound and visibility of African music on the world stage.
“2008 was my last official album, which was the ‘Freedom’ album. And then I was producing the music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I went to Nigeria. What we created in Nigeria was what you see now and hear now as Afrobeats.
“Wizkid was the first [Nigerian] artiste that we signed back in 2008. We went to work with him and Banky W in Nigeria. From there, we just started developing artists like PSquare, Dbanj and others.”
Reflecting on his journey and the impact of his work, Akon expressed gratitude for his role in amplifying African music globally, attributing his success to divine purpose.
“It [opening the global door for African music] is the role God put me in. I just feel like I am a beacon to somebody’s success. I don’t know who it is going to be but everything we have touched so far has been really successful. And I’m appreciative for that.”
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