Banky W Discovered Wizkid, Not Me — Akon

International music star and executive Akon has cleared the air on his role in the rise of Nigerian superstar Wizkid, stating that the credit for discovering the singer belongs entirely to Olubankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Shade Room, the Senegalese-American singer explained that Banky W had already nurtured Wizkid’s talent under his Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) record label before any international partnership occurred.

Akon recalled that during a visit to Nigeria, Banky W personally introduced the young artiste to him, and he immediately recognized his massive potential.

“Banky W discovered Wizkid. That’s how that collaboration happened. I went to Nigeria, and Banky brought me Wiz, and I’m like: ‘Bro! This kid is a star.’ They had limited resources, so when I signed Wiz, that was what broke him into the United States,” Akon said.

He noted that signing Wizkid to his Konvict Muzik label gave the young Nigerian artist crucial access to the American market at a time when Afrobeats had not yet achieved its current global popularity. Wizkid, whose real name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, later went on to launch his own label, Starboy Entertainment, in 2013 and collaborate with top global stars like Beyoncé, Drake, and Chris Brown.