Banky W Discovered Wizkid, Not Me – Akon Clarifies

Senegalese-American music star Aliaune Thiam, popularly known as Akon, has opened up about his involvement in Wizkid's early career, clarifying that he did not discover the Nigerian singer.

Speaking in an interview with The Shade Room on Tuesday, Akon revealed that Banky W brought Wizkid to him during a visit to Nigeria, and he immediately recognized the young artiste's star potential.

Akon explained that his role was to help break Wizkid into the American market, as the Nigerian music industry had limited international reach at the time. He credited Banky W for identifying and developing Wizkid before introducing him.

He also reflected on a missed opportunity with Canadian rapper Drake, revealing that he declined to sign him around 2008 due to financial demands. Akon stated that Drake, who was still emerging and sounded like Eminem at the time, requested $1 million for a deal, which he could not afford.

He said: "Banky W discovered Wizkid. That's how that collaboration went. 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."

"Drake was the only one I had a shoutout at, and I wanted it to become official. It wasn't that I didn't see the vision that he was going to be big; he just wasn't big then and was requesting a whooping $1 million to sign for me."

"He was the Drake that sounded like Eminem. The records of him that they played were sounding like that of Eminem, but then later when he did 'Best I Ever Had', that was when I got really into him, but by that time it was too late. He was too expensive. I don't have a million dollars."