Senegalese-American music star Akon has boldly stated that he played a significant role in shaping Afrobeats into the global powerhouse it is today.
During a recent interview with American talk show host and actress Sherri Shepherd, Akon reflected on his involvement in the genre’s growth, particularly through collaborations with Nigerian artists in the late 2000s.
“I don’t think people realize how far back this thing goes,” he said. “My journey with Afrobeats started when the rest of the world wasn’t paying attention. What you see and hear now as Afrobeats — we helped create that.”
Akon recounted his time in Africa during the late 2000s, emphasizing that it was more than just a visit — it was a creative and strategic investment in a sound he believed had massive global potential.
“I was in Africa and time just flew past. 2008 was my last official album, which was the Freedom album,” he shared. “After that, I was producing music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I went to Nigeria. That’s where the real groundwork started.”
He explained that it was this period that laid the foundation for Afrobeats’ explosion onto the world stage.
Akon specifically highlighted his early work with major Nigerian artists as crucial to Afrobeats’ rise. “Wizkid was the first Nigerian artiste that we signed back in 2008. We went to work with him and Banky W in Nigeria,” he said. “From there, we just started developing artists like PSquare, D’banj and others.”
According to Akon, these collaborations not only helped introduce African music to a broader international audience but also brought legitimacy to the genre in the eyes of Western music executives and listeners.
The singer’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the origins and influences behind Afrobeats. In August 2024, Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton controversially claimed that Afrobeats borrowed heavily from reggae and dancehall, and criticized the genre for not tackling socio-political issues or promoting the upliftment of African people.
While many acknowledged the influence of Caribbean rhythms on Afrobeats, others defended its distinct cultural evolution and its ability to entertain while celebrating African identity.
Afrobeats has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past decade, with Nigerian superstars like Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, and Wizkid breaking into international markets, collaborating with global icons like Chris Brown and Drake, and selling out arenas across Europe and the U.S.
Akon believes these achievements are the continuation of a movement he helped ignite. “What we started back then was just the beginning,” he concluded. “And now, the world is finally catching up to the sound we believed in.”
