Music executive and singer Akon has reflected on one of the biggest “what if” moments of his career, revealing that he passed on the opportunity to sign Drake before instead working with Wizkid through a partnership with Banky W. The comments came during a recent interview, where Akon revisited the early days of both global stars.
According to Akon, he was introduced to Drake when the Canadian rapper was still an emerging artist. While he recognized Drake’s potential, he said the rapper’s $1 million asking price was beyond what he could afford at the time.
Akon also recalled that Drake’s early demos reminded him of Eminem, before the artist eventually developed the melodic sound that would propel him to global superstardom. Notably, Akon had previously shared a similar story years earlier about passing on Drake before the release of Best I Ever Had.
Akon said his journey then took him to Nigeria, where Banky W introduced him to a young Wizkid. He clarified that Banky W discovered and developed Wizkid, while Akon’s role was helping bring the singer into the American market through a collaboration involving Konvict Muzik and EME.
“When I signed Wiz, that was what broke him into the United States,” Akon said, crediting Banky W for spotting the talent first.
The interview has reignited conversations about two of music’s biggest success stories. While some fans debated Akon’s influence on Wizkid’s international breakthrough, others praised his willingness to support Afrobeats during its early push into the global mainstream.
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