Veteran Nigerian music producer and executive, ID Cabasa, has dismissed claims made by Akon about his involvement in the creation of Afrobeats.
Speaking in a recent interview with Wazobia FM, ID Cabasa firmly refuted Akon’s remarks, openly challenging the narrative that the Senegalese-American singer played a major role in shaping the genre — a claim that has sparked debate among fans and industry observers.
The “Lonely” hitmaker had claimed that his early collaborations with Nigerian artistes such as Wizkid, 2Baba (2Face), Timaya, and 9ice were foundational in birthing Afrobeats as a global genre.
But according to Cabasa, Akon’s version of the story doesn’t match the reality on ground.
“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,” he said.
He further clarified that Akon’s narrative about Wizkid’s origin was inaccurate.
“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,” he added.
For ID Cabasa, Afrobeats is not the product of one man’s effort, but a cultural expression that evolved organically through collective input.
“Because Afrobeats no be wettin wey one person create, na culture,” he said.
While acknowledging Akon’s contributions—especially during the late 2000s and early 2010s, Cabasa insisted that those moments, though significant, were not enough to give Akon rights over the genre.
