Video: My collaborations with Nigerian artists sparked Afrobeats movement — Akon

Abdullateef Fowewe

Renowned Senegalese-American singer Akon has revealed his substantial role in the development of the Afrobeats genre in Nigeria.

——–VIDEO LINK: Video: My collaborations with Nigerian artists sparked Afrobeats movement — Akon

He shared that his collaborations and partnerships with Nigerian artists and music executives from the late 2000s to the 2010s were pivotal.

In a recent interview with Sherri, he discussed his work with prominent Nigerian musicians such as Wizkid, Banky W, P-Square, and D’banj.

Akon noted that he signed Wizkid to his record label, Konvict Muzik, in 2008, and also collaborated with other notable artists like D’banj.

He said, “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.

“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.”