Veteran Nigerian producer and music executive Olumide Ogunade, popularly known as ID Cabasa, has faulted Senegalese-American singer and executive Akon’s claims that he helped create Afrobeats.
Akon had, in an interview with American actress Sherri Shepherd about a week ago, projected himself as the key to the global push of the Afrobeats genre in the late 2000s.
He argued that his collaborations and partnerships with Nigerian artists and music executives in that early period birthed the Afrobeats known today.
Akon recalled that Wizkid was the first Nigerian artist he signed, followed by a collaboration with Banky W.
Reacting to these claims during an interview with Wazobia FM, ID Cabasa tackled Akon, saying he had no right to claim credit for the origin of Afrobeats.
Although ID Cabasa acknowledged that Akon collaborated and partnered with some Nigerian artists and music executives between the late 2000s and 2010s when Afrobeats was yet to gain global traction, he insisted it does not justify his claim of credit for its creation.
He pointed out that artists like 2Face, 9ice, and Timaya were already doing big things long before Akon came to Nigeria to collaborate with the artists and music executives he worked with.
The record producer also debunked Akon’s claim that Wizkid was just a local musician before he signed him to his record label in 2008 and groomed him. He noted that it was Banky W who discovered Wizkid’s talent and signed him to his record label, Empire Mates Entertainment, which later partnered with Akon’s label.
Speaking in Pidgin, ID Cabasa said, “Akon for also tok say na he still discovered the likes of 2Face, Timaya, 9ice and Co. Na the people wey he roll with when he come Nigeria, wey tell am say, ‘I’m the biggest person around this place.’ So, he properly feels he pioneered business and branding sides of Afrobeats.
“Even the way wey he take dey tok about Wizkid, no be wettin the story be be that. We all know say na Banky W dem sign Wizkid. Yes, we collaborate with Akon in terms of distribution but e no mean say he go tok say na he create Afrobeats. Because Afrobeats no be wettin wey one person create, na culture.”
