Nigerian Celebrity

Kanye West first international artist to embrace Afrobeats – D’banj

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  • D’banj revealed in a recent podcast, that Kanye West was the first international artist to embrace Afrobeats.
  • D’banj stated that Kanye West’s love for African music was the reason he signed him and Don Jazzy to his record label, Good Music.

Nigerian singer D’banj has highlighted the significant role Kanye West played in introducing Afrobeats to a global audience.

Featuring in a recent episode of the ‘Listen’ podcast, D’banj revealed that Kanye West was the first international artist to embrace Afrobeats.

D’banj

According to D’banj, Kanye’s interest in African music led to him signing Don Jazzy and him to his record label, Good Music.

D’banj recalled meeting Kanye West in Dubai, where he shared his enthusiasm for Afrobeats, having learned about the genre from university students.

He credited Kanye for not only embracing Afrobeats but also for helping to take the genre to the next level.

He 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 is taking it to the next level.”

In another news, D’banj and Don Jazzy share warm hug, celebrate two decades of unforgettable music memories in heartfelt video.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, captures D’banj presenting Don Jazzy with an exclusive invitation to his 20th-anniversary dinner celebration, commemorating two decades of his remarkable music career.

As D’banj entered Don Jazzy’s abode, the ambiance was filled with a sense of nostalgia and warmth, a testament to the enduring synergy between the two music giants.

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