Veteran Nigerian music producer Olumide Ogunade, popularly known as ID Cabasa, has pushed back against recent claims by Senegalese American singer Akon that he played a pivotal role in the creation of Afrobeats.
In a recent appearance on Wazobia FM, Cabasa addressed Akon’s assertion that his past collaborations with Nigerian stars like Wizkid, Banky W, D’banj, and P-Square shaped the genre. According to Cabasa, such claims are not only inaccurate but also reflective of a deeper issue: Nigeria’s failure to document its cultural evolution properly.
“Afrobeats is a culture. It was not created by a single person,” Cabasa emphasized. “The people Akon mentioned had already been successful before working with him.”
Akon, in earlier comments, suggested that his involvement with these Nigerian artistes in the late 2000s helped birth Afrobeats, a genre that has now taken the global stage. But Cabasa was quick to clarify: the genre was already thriving before Akon’s arrival — just under less global visibility.
“His collaborations were more about distribution and exposure. They didn’t shape the genre itself,” Cabasa explained.
He also criticized the narrative surrounding Akon’s connection to Wizkid, describing it as misleading. Cabasa pointed out that Banky W was the one who discovered and signed Wizkid, and that their journey into music had begun before Akon came into the picture.
“The story he said about Wizkid didn’t happen like that. Banky W signed Wizkid, and they had already started making music.”
Cabasa didn’t entirely fault Akon, saying the blame lies with Nigerians for not consistently owning and sharing their own stories.
“I don’t blame Akon. We caused it. If we don’t document our stories, others will rewrite them,” he noted.
While disappointed by Akon’s remarks — especially since they came from a fellow African — Cabasa urged for a more respectful and accurate portrayal of Afrobeats’ origins.
“I was pained by his claim. Afrobeats is bigger than any one individual. It has a sound, merchandise, language — it is a movement.”
He concluded by acknowledging his own position in the genre’s timeline, stating that even he wouldn’t dare to claim its creation.
“When I started, there were people already doing it — people I looked up to. That’s how culture works.”
