How I Signed Wizkid Through Banky W – Akon.

Senegalese-American singer and music executive Akon has opened up about how his professional relationship with Wizkid began, crediting Nigerian singer and entrepreneur Banky W for introducing him to the Afrobeats star during the early stages of his career.

Speaking in a recent interview on The Shade Room, Akon recalled that Banky W played a key role in connecting him with Wizkid while the Nigerian singer was still signed to Empire Mates Entertainment (EME). According to Akon, Banky W believed Wizkid had the talent to succeed beyond Nigeria and reached out to explore opportunities that could help expand his reach internationally.

Photo: Facebook

The collaboration eventually led to Wizkid signing with Akon’s music company, Konvict Muzik, through a partnership with EME.

Reflecting on that period, Akon said he was impressed by Wizkid’s talent from the beginning. He added that Banky W strongly believed in the singer’s potential and worked to create opportunities that would introduce his music to audiences outside Africa.

The partnership came at a time when Wizkid was gaining attention with songs from his debut album, “Superstar”, released in 2011. Tracks such as “Holla at Your Boy”, “Don’t Dull” and “Pakurumo” helped establish him as one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising artists, attracting interest from international music executives.

Photo: Instagram

The partnership became one of Wizkid’s earliest international career moves, helping expand his exposure beyond Nigeria. In the years that followed, he went on to collaborate with several international stars, including Drake on the chart-topping hit “One Dance”, as well as Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber and many others.

Akon’s comments also highlight Banky W’s contribution to the development of Wizkid’s career. As the founder of EME, Banky W signed Wizkid in 2009 and helped shape his early years in the industry before Wizkid later parted ways with EME and launched his own imprint, Starboy Entertainment.

Today, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest African artists of his generation, with Grammy recognition, multiple international awards and sold-out performances across major venues worldwide. Akon’s reflection serves as a reminder of an important chapter in that journey, showing how a connection made through Banky W helped open the door to opportunities that would later contribute to Wizkid’s rise on the global stage.