LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- South African rapper Nasty C has praised Nigerian music star Wizkid for helping African music gain massive international attention through his collaboration with Canadian superstar Drake.
Speaking during a podcast interview, the rapper said Wizkid’s appearance on Drake’s 2016 global hit ‘One Dance’ played a major role in opening international doors for modern African artists.
The “SMA” hitmaker explained that the success of the song changed how the global music industry viewed Afrobeats and created new opportunities for African musicians worldwide.
“Wizkid and Drake collaboration on ‘One Dance’ opened the door for African artists,” Nasty C said.
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The rapper noted that Afrobeats became significantly more profitable after the song’s global success, leading some artists to move away from hip-hop in search of opportunities in the genre.
“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 added.
Released in 2016, ‘One Dance’ featured Wizkid alongside British singer Kyla and quickly became one of the biggest songs in the world.
The record later made history after becoming the first song to surpass one billion streams on Spotify, earning a Guinness World Records recognition.
The song blended Afrobeats, dancehall and pop influences, and is widely regarded as one of the tracks that helped push Afrobeats into mainstream global music conversations.
Drake had previously acknowledged Wizkid’s major contribution to the song, with the Nigerian singer receiving credits as a co-songwriter, co-producer and featured performer.
