By Seyi Babalola
Nigerian singer, D’banj has disclosed how American rapper and music mogul Kanye West helped popularise Afrobeats in the Western world.
According to Koko Master, Ye was the first worldwide musician to embrace Afrobeats.
In a recent episode of the ‘Listen’ podcast, D’banj revealed that West’s love of African music is why he signed him and Don Jazzy to his record label, Good Music.
He said, “The first time I met Kanye West in Dubai, he told me that he had inquired about afrobeats from students in the university. So, he actually wanted to pick up the sound.
“He was interested in the sound. That was what gave us [Don Jazzy and me] the deal and the opportunity to be signed to his record label [Good Music].
So, Kanye is the first person [international artist] to buy into it [Afrobeats]. Not just buy into it but is taking it to the next level.
Kanye West made a cameo in the video of D’banj’s 2012 international hit ‘Oliver Twist.’