Senegalese-American singer Akon has stated that he played a key role in the rise of Afrobeats, the globally celebrated music genre from West Africa.

In a recent interview with American talk show host and actress Sherri Shepherd, the ‘Smack That’ star reflected on his involvement in the genre’s early development, pointing to his collaborations with prominent Nigerian artistes in the late 2000s as influential in shaping the Afrobeats sound.

“…I was in Africa, and time just flew past. 2008 was my last official album, which was the ‘Freedom’ album,” Akon recounted.

“And then I produced 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 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.”

Afrobeats has continued to gain traction as one of Africa’s most influential cultural exports.

In 2023, the genre reached new heights of international acclaim, with top artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido performing at major global events and dominating international charts.