Akon Claims Pivotal Role in Wizkid’s Rise and Afrobeats’ Global Success
Senegalese-American Star Reveals Early Influence on Nigerian Music Scene
Senegalese-American singer Akon has revealed his crucial involvement in launching Wizkid’s international career and shaping the global Afrobeats movement. In a recent interview shared on X (formerly Twitter), the music mogul detailed his early contributions to Nigeria’s music industry.
Discovering Wizkid in 2008
Akon stated he first discovered Wizkid in 2008 when the Nigerian artist was still relatively unknown. “Wizkid was just the local Nigerian star before we touched him,” Akon explained, noting that signing him to his record label helped open doors to international markets.
The “Lonely” hitmaker emphasized his broader impact on Afrobeats’ development, claiming he introduced crucial business elements to Nigerian artists who previously focused solely on creativity. “I brought the business side of music to Afrobeats because all they knew about was the creative side,” Akon said.
Pioneering Work with Nigerian Artists
Beyond Wizkid, Akon highlighted his work with other Nigerian stars, particularly the duo P-Square. “We went on to sign a group called P-Square, which was the first [Nigerian] group that made it internationally,” he recalled.
The artist-turned-executive expressed confidence that Afrobeats might not have achieved its current global status without his early interventions. “If we didn’t do what we did, Afrobeats would still have been in the same position it was when we got there [Nigeria in 2008],” Akon asserted.
Building Afrobeats Infrastructure
Akon described his efforts as foundational to the genre’s success: “In 2008, I spent my time in Nigeria developing what you see today as Afrobeats. And all of them can attest to it.” He noted the absence of business infrastructure before his involvement, stating, “There was no business, no infrastructure, none of it attached to it.”
While acknowledging he doesn’t deserve all the credit, Akon maintained his contributions were essential to the genre’s global breakthrough. “I can tell you 100 percent,” he concluded about his impact on Afrobeats’ trajectory.
Full credit to the original publisher: Information Nigeria