Senegalese-American music star Akon has said that he played a big part in helping Nigerian Afrobeats singer Wizkid become famous around the world.

In a recent interview on the Bagfuel Brigade podcast, Akon explained that before he signed Wizkid in 2008, the singer was only popular in Nigeria. According to him, it was after joining his record label that Wizkid got more attention and reached a wider audience.

Akon also said he was one of the people who helped shape Afrobeats into what it is today. He spent a lot of time in Nigeria from the late 2000s to the early 2010s, working with local artists and showing them how to grow their careers internationally.

He mentioned that his label also signed P-Square, a famous Nigerian music group, and helped them break into international markets.

“In 2008, I focused on Nigeria to help build what we now call Afrobeats. All the artists know this,” Akon said.

He added that at the time, Nigerian artists were very creative, but they didn’t know much about the business side of music. Akon believes he brought that knowledge and structure to the industry, helping it grow.