Senegalese-American singer and music executive Akon has revealed why he chose to sign Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid in 2008 instead of Canadian rapper Drake, saying Drake’s financial demands at the time made a deal impossible.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Shade Room, Akon reflected on his early interactions with both artistes and the decisions that shaped their careers.
According to him, Drake was still an emerging musician when they held talks but requested a $1 million signing fee, which he considered too expensive.
“Drake was still an emerging artist and was requesting a whopping $1 million to sign for me,” Akon said.
He noted that Drake had not yet developed the sound that would later make him one of the world’s biggest music stars.
Instead, Akon said he decided to work with Wizkid through Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) after recognising the Nigerian singer’s talent.
He credited Banky W with discovering and nurturing Wizkid before introducing the young artiste to him during a visit to Nigeria.
“Banky W discovered Wizkid. That’s how that collaboration went. I went to Nigeria, and Banky brought me Wiz, and I’m like, ‘Bro! This kid is a star,’” he said.
Akon added that signing Wizkid gave the singer the opportunity to break into the United States music market at a time when resources were limited.
“They had limited resources, so when I signed Wiz, that was what broke him into the United States,” he stated.
Since then, Wizkid has grown into one of Africa’s biggest global music stars, earning several international awards and collaborating with leading artistes worldwide, while Drake has also become one of the world’s most commercially successful musicians.