Veteran Nigerian music producer and industry executive, ID Cabasa, has challenged Akon over his assertions regarding the origins of the Afrobeats genre.
In a recent interview, Akon claimed that his early collaborations with various Nigerian artists during the late 2000s and early 2010s played a pivotal role in establishing the foundation of what has become a widely recognized global genre known as Afrobeats.
However, Cabasa firmly disagrees with this narrative.
During a candid conversation on Wazobia FM, Cabasa emphasized that while Akon indeed partnered with Nigerian musicians during that period, this does not equate to him being the originator of the genre itself.
“Akon also stated that he discovered prominent artists like 2Face, Timaya, and 9ice,” Cabasa remarked, speaking in Pidgin English.
“The truth is, it was the people he interacted with when he visited Nigeria who told him, ‘I’m the biggest person around here.’
This might have led him to believe he was at the forefront of the business and branding aspects of Afrobeats.”
Cabasa further refuted Akon’s comment that Wizkid was merely a local artist before signing with his label in 2008.
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He shed light on the actual history, clarifying that it was Banky W who initially discovered Wizkid and brought him into the spotlight by signing him to Empire Mates Entertainment, which later formed a partnership with Akon’s label.
“The way Akon portrayed Wizkid’s journey is not accurate. We all know that it was Banky W who signed Wizkid,” he stated.
Addressing Akon’s broader claims of being instrumental in birthing the Afrobeats genre, Cabasa was resolute: “Yes, we can acknowledge that we collaborated with Akon in regards to distribution, but that does not give him the right to assert that he created Afrobeats.
“Afrobeats is not a product of any one individual; it is a cultural movement that has developed through the rich tapestry of Nigerian music and community.”