D’banj highlights Kanye West contribution to Afrobeats

Dbanj, the Nigerian star, highlighted how Kanye West, the American rapper and mogul, contributed significantly to the rise of Afrobeats in the West.

On a recent installment of the Listen podcast, Dbanj revealed that Kanye West was the first well-known global artist to back Afrobeats. He clarified that Kanye's enthusiasm for African sounds led him to sign both Dbanj and Don Jazzy to his label, Good Music.

"During my first encounter with Kanye in Dubai, he told me that he had asked university students about Afrobeats. He was really keen to grasp the sound," D'banj shared. "His deep interest in the music is what led to Don Jazzy and I getting the opportunity to sign with him. Kanye was the first global music figure to champion Afrobeats and elevate it."

Kanye West also featured in a notable cameo in the video for D’banj’s 2012 worldwide hit, "Oliver Twist."