Senegalese-American superstar Akon is claiming a pivotal role in the evolution of Afrobeats into the global powerhouse genre it is today.
In a recent interview with American talk show host Sherri Shepherd, the Right Now hitmaker stated that his early involvement with Nigerian artists helped shape what the world now knows as Afrobeats.
“What we created in Nigeria was what you see and hear now as Afrobeats,” Akon said as he took a trip down memory lane, recalling the years he spent in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, in the late 2000s.
According to him, his journey began around 2008 after releasing his album Freedom, before producing music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, he immersed himself in Nigeria’s budding music scene, collaborating with local acts and facilitating their growth on the international stage.
Akon revealed that Wizkid was the first Nigerian artist he signed, followed by collaborative work with Banky W. He also claims to have helped in developing now-defunct duo P-Square and D’banj, both of whom were instrumental in the genre’s rise at the time.
“From there, we just started developing artists like PSquare, Dbanj and others,” Akon added.
His comments come amid ongoing conversations around the origins and influences of Afrobeats. Just last year, Jamaican legend Buju Banton stirred debate by saying Afrobeats draws heavily from reggae and dancehall, while also criticizing it for lacking socio-political messaging.
Regardless of the varying perspectives, there’s no denying Afrobeats’ meteoric rise. From the days of regional hits and YouTube breakthroughs to now dominating international charts and selling out arenas across the globe, Nigerian stars like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, and Rema have propelled the sound to historic levels.
Akon’s role in the early international push of Nigerian music, especially during a time when global collaborations were rare, may not make him the creator of Afrobeats, but it certainly puts him among those who helped shine a spotlight on it early on.
