Nigerian music act Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known in music circles as D’Banj, has credited American singer Kanye West for his role in promoting Afrobeats to the Western world.
The ‘Oliver Twist’ crooner, who made the remarks in a recent episode of the ‘Listen’ podcast, said that Kanye West was the first international musician to embrace Afrobeats.
According to D’Banj, he first met with Kanye West in Dubai, where the rapper told him that he enquired about Afrobeats from students in the university and wanted to pick up the sound.
He also revealed that Kanye’s interest in the Afrobeats genre was what gave him and Don Jazzy the opportunity to sign onto the rapper’s record label, Good Music.
D’Banj said, “The first time I met Kanye West in Dubai, he told me that he had enquired 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 take it to the next level”.
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