Famous South African rapper Nasty C has credited Nigerian music star Wizkid for helping African music gain massive international recognition.
Speaking during a recent podcast interview, the “Zulu Man With Some Power” crooner stated that Wizkid’s 2016 collaboration with Canadian superstar Drake on the global hit song One Dance played a major role in opening international doors for modern African artists.
According to Nasty C, the success of the record significantly boosted the global appeal of Afrobeats and made the genre more commercially rewarding.
He added that the impact was so strong that several rappers eventually transitioned from hip-hop to Afrobeats due to its growing popularity and financial success.
“Wizkid and Drake collaboration on ‘One Dance’ opened the door for African artists. After the collaboration, African music received a significant boost. During some of my interviews in Nigeria and Ghana, the hosts told me that some rappers were even switching to Afrobeats because of how lucrative it has become after Wizkid’s collaboration with Drake,” he said.
Reports disclosed that Drake’s ‘One Dance’, which featured Wizkid and British singer Kyla holds the Guinness World Record for the first song to hit billion streams mark on Spotify.
The song, which incorporates both Afrobeats, dancehall and pop, is regarded as one of the songs that brought global attention to Afrobeats.
Drake admitted during an interview that Wizkid contributed significantly to the song.
Wizkid is credited both as co-songwriter, co-producer and performer.