I helped create Afrobeats — Akon – Tribune Online

A man smiling, wearing a colorful patterned jacket inspired by Afrobeats style, stands against a plain light background.

Senegalese-American singer and producer Akon has credited his early collaborations with Nigerian artists as instrumental to the emergence of Afrobeats as a global music genre.

In a recent interview on Sherri, Akon reflected on his musical journey and influence across Africa, particularly Nigeria, where he said key groundwork was laid for what is now recognised as the Afrobeats sound.

“2008 was my last official album, which was the Freedom album. And then I was producing music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I…