Ghanaian rapper, Michael Owusu Addo, better known as Sarkodie, has paid glowing tribute to Senegalese-American superstar Akon for his influential role in propelling Afrobeats onto the global stage.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Sarkodie highlighted Akon’s early and unwavering support for African music and musicians during a time when few mainstream artists were willing to do the same.
“Big shouts to the legend @Akon for what you did for Afrobeats!!! We can’t skip that in history… few artists at their prime will look back and put their people on from the motherland! He did that in a big way!” Sarkodie wrote.
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The “Adonai” hitmaker emphasized that while Afrobeats has evolved and reached unprecedented global heights in recent years, the groundwork laid by Akon deserves recognition. He noted that Akon’s efforts to uplift African talent during his own commercial peak helped lay a foundation for the genre’s current worldwide dominance.
“Of course it’s been bigger and better since but we can’t ignore his contribution to the global dominance of Afrobeats,” Sarkodie added.
Akon, known for hits like “Locked Up” and “Smack That,” has long championed African artists and was among the first internationally acclaimed musicians to collaborate with and invest in African music talent. His work with acts such as Wizkid, Davido, and P-Square during the early stages of their careers helped open global doors for the genre.
Big shouts to the legend @Akon for what you did for Afrobeats!!! We can’t skip that in history… few artists at their prime will look back and put their people on from the motherland ! He did that in a big way ! Of course it’s been bigger and better since but we can’t ignore his…
— Sarkodie (@sarkodie) May 29, 2025
