In a recent interview with American talk show host and actress Sherri Shepherd, Senegalese-American singer Akon—best known for hits like Smack That—reflected on his influence in the development of Afrobeats. His comments, however, have sparked controversy online.
Akon claimed he played a major role in the genre’s rise, citing his collaborations in the late 2000s with Nigerian artists such as Wizkid, PSquare, and D’banj. “I was in Africa and time just flew by. My last official album was Freedom in 2008,” he recalled. “Then I worked on the music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I went to Nigeria. What we created in Nigeria is what you now know as Afrobeats.”
He added, “Wizkid was the first Nigerian artist we signed back in 2008. We worked with him and Banky W in Nigeria. From there, we started developing artists like PSquare, D’banj, and others.”
While Akon appeared to be highlighting his support for African music, his remarks were met with swift backlash on Nigerian social media. Many Nigerians took issue with the suggestion that he helped shape the early stages of Afrobeats—a globally celebrated genre that originated organically from West Africa.