ID Cabasa, Akon disagree over origin of Afrobeats

ID Cabasa Responds to Akon's Claims on Afrobeats

Nigerian music producer Olumide Ogunade, known as ID Cabasa, has spoken out. He addressed Senegalese-American singer Akon’s claims about pioneering Afrobeats. Cabasa called Akon’s statement a “half-truth.” He compared it to the colonial claim that Mungo Park discovered the River Niger.

Cabasa shared his thoughts on Sunday’s episode of *Rubbin’ Minds* on Channels Television. He discussed the ongoing debate about Afrobeats' origin and ownership. While he acknowledged Akon’s influence in promoting Nigerian artists, he disagreed with the idea that Akon created the genre.

“What Akon said was sort of a half-truth,” Cabasa explained. “It’s like Mungo Park claiming he discovered the River Niger and Benue—he met people there fishing.” He emphasized that a sound already existed before Akon arrived. “Even the people he mentioned were already popular and doing great things,” he added.

In early May, Akon claimed in interviews that he played a key role in creating Afrobeats. He credited his collaborations with Nigerian artists like Wizkid and Banky W for helping the genre succeed globally. Akon described himself as a major catalyst for Afrobeats’ international breakthrough by introducing essential business structures to Nigeria's music scene.