How I helped pioneer Afrobeats – Akon

1/5/2025

Famous Senegalese-American singer Akon has claimed to have played a significant role in the creation of the Afrobeats genre through his collaborations and partnerships with Nigerian artists and music executives in the late 2000s to 2010s.

In a recent interview with Sherri, Akon recalled working with Wizkid, Banky W, P-Square, D’banj, and other Nigerian musicians, stating that what they created during that period is now known as Afrobeats.

Akon mentioned that he signed Wizkid to his record label, Konvict Muzik, in 2008 and went on to work with other notable Nigerian artists.

He believes his contributions helped bring African music to the global stage, describing himself as a “beacon to somebody’s success”.

Akon 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”.