Senegalese-American artist Akon has stated that he was instrumental in launching the international career of Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid.
According to Akon, Wizkid was still a local act when he signed him to his label in 2008 and helped refine his craft, turning him into an international sensation. Akon was key in pushing Wizkid's music outside of Nigeria's borders, opening doors that would later help Afrobeats become a globally recognized genre.
During a recent episode of the Bagfuel Brigade podcast, Akon reflected on his early efforts to develop Nigerian artists and Afrobeats as a whole. He revealed that his influence was pivotal in bringing Afrobeats to the global stage in the late 2000s and early 2010s. At that time, the genre was largely restricted to local Nigerian audiences.
Akon mentioned: “In 2008, I spent my time in Nigeria developing what you see today as Afrobeats. And all of them can attest to it. Wizkid was the first [Nigerian] artist we signed officially at that time. And then we went on to sign a group called P-Square, which was the first [Nigerian] group that made it internationally."
He continued, “Wizkid was just the local Nigerian star before we touched him, and it opened up to a bigger market. I wouldn’t want to take credit for all of it but I can tell you that 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]. That I can tell you 100 percent."
Akon emphasized that his impact wasn't just musical but also business-oriented. He claimed that he introduced the "business side of music" to Afrobeats, which had previously been focused mainly on the creative side. “There was no business, no infrastructure, none of it attached to it,” Akon explained, underscoring his role in helping Nigerian artists build a sustainable career internationally.
Today, the influence of Akon’s early efforts can be seen not just in Wizkid’s global success, but in the worldwide popularity of Afrobeats, which has become a dominant force in the global music industry. Other Nigerian artists who followed in Wizkid’s footsteps, such as Burna Boy, Davido, and Tiwa Savage, are also enjoying international success, with many attributing part of that success to the groundwork laid by Akon and others who believed in the genre long before it became a worldwide phenomenon.
Watch video below …
“I spent my time in Nigeria developing what you see today as Afrobeats… Wizkid was just the local Nigerian star before we touched him and it opened up to a bigger market…”
– Akon pic.twitter.com/ZmhIj1OfK5
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) May 2, 2025