Veteran Nigerian music producer and industry figure ID Cabasa has firmly refuted recent claims made by Senegalese-American artist Akon, who suggested his collaborations with Nigerian musicians helped birth the Afrobeats genre.
In a recent interview, Akon asserted that his involvement with Nigerian artists in the late 2000s and early 2010s played a pivotal role in creating and shaping Afrobeats as a global movement. However, speaking during a chat with Wazobia FM, ID Cabasa rejected the claim, emphasizing that while Akon was indeed part of the early international collaborations, his contributions do not make him a pioneer of Afrobeats.
Cabasa acknowledged Akon’s work with Nigerian stars like Wizkid and P-Square, but maintained that long before Akon’s entry into the Nigerian scene, local icons such as 2Face Idibia, 9ice, and Timaya had already laid the groundwork for the Afrobeats sound and movement.
He also corrected Akon’s narrative about Wizkid’s rise, clarifying that it was actually Banky W who discovered and signed the young star to Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), which later collaborated with Akon’s label on distribution deals, a partnership that should not be mistaken for a mentorship or discovery story.
Speaking in his trademark 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.”
Cabasa stressed that Afrobeats is a collective cultural creation and evolution, shaped by generations of Nigerian artists, producers, and communities, not a sound attributable to any single individual. His remarks add further context to ongoing debates about the ownership and origins of one of Africa’s most globally influential music genres.
ID Cabasa replies Akon for saying that he created Wizkid and Afrobeats. pic.twitter.com/o2pDXXanTD
— 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐆𝐑𝐍 (@AsakyGRN) May 10, 2025
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