"Afrobeats Is a Culture, Not Akon's Creation" – ID Cabasa Slams Foreign Credit Claims
Wafric News – May 12, 2025
Lagos, Nigeria - Respected Nigerian music producer Olumide Ogunade, widely known as ID Cabasa, has openly criticized claims made by Senegalese-American artist Akon, who recently suggested that he played a central role in the creation of the Afrobeats genre.
Akon had positioned himself as a key figure in Afrobeats’ global breakthrough, citing early collaborations with Nigerian artists in the late 2000s, including Wizkid and Banky W, as pivotal moments that helped shape the genre.
However, speaking in a candid interview, ID Cabasa rejected those claims, arguing that Afrobeats cannot be credited to one individual—especially not one who only became involved after foundational work had already been laid by local pioneers.
“Afrobeats no be wetin one person create,” Cabasa said, asserting that the genre is the product of a deep-rooted cultural evolution driven by Nigerian artists and producers long before international attention arrived.
Cabasa acknowledged that Akon did play a role in promoting Nigerian music globally through collaborations and distribution partnerships. But he insisted that the groundwork had already been set by legends such as 2Face Idibia, 9ice, and Timaya—names that had dominated the scene well before Akon stepped in.
In response to Akon’s suggestion that he was responsible for discovering Wizkid, Cabasa clarified that it was Banky W who signed Wizkid to Empire Mates Entertainment and helped nurture his early career before any affiliation with Akon’s label emerged.
“Akon for also tok say na he still discovered the likes of 2Face, Timaya, 9ice and co,” Cabasa said in Pidgin, with a hint of sarcasm. “He roll with some people wey tell am say dem be the biggest, so maybe he believe say na him pioneer Afrobeats.”
He continued, “Even the way he take dey talk about Wizkid, no be wetin happen. We all know say na Banky W sign am. Yes, we collaborate with Akon on distribution level, but that no mean say he create Afrobeats.”
Cabasa concluded by stressing that Afrobeats is far bigger than any single artist or executive. “Afrobeats is not a brand invented by one person—it’s a living culture born from the streets, studios, and stories of African people.”
The comment has reignited debate over the ownership and recognition of Africa’s cultural exports, with many artists and fans rallying behind Cabasa’s call to properly credit those who nurtured the genre from its roots.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
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