Senegalese-American singer Akon has sparked debate after claiming significant credit for the global success of Nigerian Afrobeats and superstar Wizkid.
Speaking on the Bagfuel Brigade podcast, Akon said he was a key figure in developing Afrobeats between 2008 and 2010, signing Nigerian artists and introducing the business side of music to the industry.
“In 2008, I spent my time in Nigeria developing what you see today as Afrobeats. And all of them can attest to it,” Akon said. “Wizkid was the first Nigerian artist we signed officially. He was just a local star before we touched him and it opened up a bigger market.”
He also mentioned signing the music duo P-Square and working closely with other Nigerian acts such as D’banj during that period.
Akon emphasized that before his involvement, the Nigerian music scene lacked structure. “There was no business, no infrastructure. I brought the business side of music to Afrobeats because all they knew was the creative side.”
While Akon admitted he doesn’t want to take full credit for Afrobeats’ rise, he insisted, “If we didn’t do what we did, Afrobeats would still have been in the same position it was when we got there. That I can tell you 100 percent.”
His comments have since drawn criticism from Nigerian fans and observers who argue that stars like Wizkid, P-Square, and D’banj had already made significant strides in the industry before linking up with Akon. Many have also pushed back against the idea that Afrobeats’ success can be attributed to one person.
As of the time of this report, Wizkid has not publicly responded to Akon’s claims.
