Popular Nigerian producer and singer, Samuel Oguachuba, widely known as Samklef, has made a bold claim that he and Grammy award-winning star, Ayodeji Balogun, also known as Wizkid, were the ones who coined the term “Afrobeats” for the Nigerian music industry.
Taking to his Twitter account on Monday, September 11, Samklef stated that prior to their collaboration, Nigerian contemporary music had no specific genre or title. It was only in 2010, when he and Wizkid came together, that they decided to name the music industry “Afrobeats”.
Samklef acknowledged that the term “Afrobeats” was originally created by Nigerian music legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. However, he believes that Wizkid’s rise to fame as a producer in the past decade, in which he played a significant role, marked a new era for contemporary Nigerian music. Therefore, both Samklef and Wizkid deserve credit for the “magic” and the name “Afrobeats”.
Sharing a throwback video of himself and Wizkid on his X page on Monday, Samklef wrote:
“Meet the Nigerian two kids that created the afrobeats sound of today. As of 2009, Nigerian music had no title! Until these two created magic! 2010! Even the award categories in Nigeria were Best Hip Hop, Best R and B, Best Alternative Music and Best Reggae! There was nothing like Best Afrobeats! It was Wizkidayo who named it afrobeats! Know this and know peace! Fela created Afrobeat!”
Facts check! Meet the Nigeria 2 kids that created the afrobeats sound of today. As at 2009 Nigeria music had no title! Until this 2 created magic! 2010! Even the awards category in Nigeria was best hip hop, best R and B best alternative music and best raggae! There was nothing… pic.twitter.com/vliX6xuscp
— Samklef 🐉 (@SAMKLEF) September 11, 2023
Samklef was one of Wizkid’s producers during his rise to fame in 2010. As a music creative icon, Samklef made significant contributions to the production of hit songs in Wizkid’s debut album, ‘Superstar,’ which was released in June 2011.
Wizkid gained prominence in 2009 when he signed a record deal with Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E).
Since his breakout single, “Holla at Your Boy,” which served as the lead single from his debut studio album, ‘Superstar,’ Wizkid has become widely recognized as one of Africa’s biggest music stars. He has continued to release a plethora of other hit songs, solidifying his status as a Grammy award-winning superstar.
