Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has lauded Senegalese-American music executive Akon for his contribution to the growth of Afrobeats on a global level.

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Taking to his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Sarkodie commended Akon for returning to his roots to help elevate and invest in rising talents such as himself and others within the region.

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According to Sarkodie, Akon’s contribution to Afrobeats is undeniable and deserves to be documented as a vital part of the genre’s history.

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“Big shouts to the legend, Akon, for what you did for Afrobeats!!! We can’t skip that in history… few artists in their prime will look back and put their people on from the motherland!" Sarkodie wrote.

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Acknowledging the growth of the music genre and its dominance on the global level, Sarkodie noted that it is crucial not to overlook the foundational work done by Akon.

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"He did that in a big way! Of course, it’s been bigger and better since, but we can’t ignore his contribution to the global dominance of Afrobeats,” Sarkodie added.

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Sarkodie's accolades come weeks after Akon, in an interview with Sherri Shepherd on April 28, recounted his role in the early development of Afrobeats and his support of talents such as Wizkid, Banky W, P-Square, and D’banj - helping shape the genre’s modern sound.

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The “Lonely” hitmaker recounted how, following the release of his album Freedom, he became involved with the African music scene, particularly in Nigeria.

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“…I was in Africa, and time just flew past. 2008 was my last official album, which was the ‘Freedom’ album. And then I produced the music for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. From there, I went to Nigeria. What we created in Nigeria was what you see and hear now as Afrobeats.

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Wizkid was the first Nigerian artiste that we signed back in 2008. We went to work with him and Banky W in Nigeria. From there, we just started developing artists like PSquare, D’banj and others,” Akon shared.

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