ID Cabasa rejects Akon’s claim about the discovery of Afrobeats

Nigerian music producer, Olumide Ogunade, is also known as Cabasa ID, has rejected claims made by American American R&B singer he found Afrobeats.

Akon has claimed in an interview with Sherri Shepherd and Podcast Brigade Bagfuel last month that he was the main contributor for the development of Afrobeats and pointed to his initial work with Banky W and Wizkid at the beginning of Milenium.

The American singer added that he brought an economic structure to the Nigerian music scene and praised himself by playing an important role in the climbing of Afrobeats to global fame.

But in an interview on Channels Television’s Rubbin ‘Minds on Sunday, Cabasa ID responded strongly by comments made by Akon while sharing his insight about the origin and globalization of the Afrobeats genre.

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He said: “What Akon said, I thought, a kind of half truth. Like Mungo Park said he found the Niger and Benue river, but he met the people there fishing.

“There has been a sound that made him interested (akon), and you claim you to find it? That’s the voice. Even the people he mentioned, these people have sprung up, have done things.”

While acknowledging Akon’s contribution to the growth of Afrobeats, Cabasa emphasized that the genre had developed before the Akon involvement.

“Akon did not offend me, I had to respond to that. Talking, shouting to Akon. He is a man who must be respected by everyone, but we must be careful. If there is something we can save as a legacy for Nigeria and Africa, it is part of the conversation around Afrobeats,” added Cabasa.