Sarkodie Sparks Discussion by Attributing the Global Rise of Afrobeats to Akon

After officially recognising Senegalese-American musician Akon as a key contributor to Afrobeats' global success, Ghanaian rap legend Sarkodie has ignited a heated internet debate. According to Sarkodie's claim, which was posted on X (previously Twitter), Akon used his prime career influence to help bring African music to a global audience. 

"Big shouts to the legend @Akon for what you did for Afrobeats!" Sarkodie stated in his post. History cannot be skipped over that. Very few great artists will look back and say, "My people are from the motherland!" In a large manner, he did it. His influence to the worldwide dominance of Afrobeats cannot be overlooked, even if it has undoubtedly grown and improved since then.

This online discourse follows recent comments made by Akon himself during an interview with American talk show host and actress Sherri Shepherd. Akon reflected on his early involvement in the genre's evolution, stating, "I was in Africa and time just flew past. 2008 was my last official album, which was the ‘Freedom’ album. And then I was producing the music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I went to Nigeria. What we created in Nigeria was what you see and hear now as Afrobeats.

Social media was swiftly inundated with conflicting responses to the message. Many of Sarkodie's supporters agreed with him that Akon had a big influence, but some questioned how big of an impact he actually had. Critics argue that although Akon had a role, the consistent work of African musicians who relentlessly promoted Afrobeats to a worldwide audience eventually eclipsed his accomplishments.

He went on to discuss his partnerships with well-known Nigerian musicians during the early stages of Afrobeats, saying, "In 2008, Wizkid was the first Nigerian artist we signed. We travelled to Nigeria to collaborate with him and Banky W. We simply began cultivating artists like PSquare, D'banj, and others after that. West Africa's rich musical legacy is the foundation of the dynamic genre known as "afrobeats," which has grown to become one of the continent's most powerful cultural exports. By 2023, it had established itself as a worldwide musical phenomenon with top performers like Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid regularly playing on international stages and topping international music charts.

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