How Wizkid Entered the U.S. Market Through Me — Akon
Senegalese-American music star Akon has shed new light on his involvement in Wizkid's early career, explaining that while he signed the Nigerian singer, the credit for discovering him belongs to Banky W. Speaking during an interview with The Shade Room, Akon said he first met Wizkid during a trip to Nigeria when Banky W introduced the young artiste to him. According to him, it was immediately clear that Wizkid had the qualities of a future star. Akon explained that although Banky W had already identified and nurtured the singer's talent, limited resources at the time made it difficult to expand beyond Nigeria. He said his decision to sign Wizkid helped expose the Afrobeats star to the United States at a time when the Nigerian music industry had little international presence. The Grammy-nominated singer also reflected on an opportunity to sign Canadian rapper Drake around 2008 but revealed that the deal never happened because of financial constraints. According to Akon, Drake was still developing as an artiste and had not yet found the unique sound that later made him a global superstar. He recalled that the rapper was seeking a $1 million signing deal—an amount he could not afford. Akon added that Drake's style at the time reminded him of Eminem, but everything changed after the release of the hit single Best I Ever Had in 2009. By then, he said, Drake's value had risen significantly, making any potential deal unrealistic. Wizkid, whose real name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, went on to become the biggest breakout act under Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), releasing chart-topping songs from his debut album Superstar before leaving the label in 2013 to establish Starboy Entertainment.
Today, Wizkid is regarded as one of Africa's most successful global music stars, with numerous international collaborations and worldwide recognition, while Drake has become one of the most commercially successful artistes in modern music.
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