Akon Reveals He Passed on Signing Drake for Wizkid

Akon disclosed in a recent interview that he had a chance to sign global superstar Drake but ultimately decided against it due to a $1 million asking price. Instead, Akon chose to assist fellow artist Wizkid in breaking into the American market, crediting Banky W for discovering Wizkid.

Akon admitted that he was not convinced by Drake's music at the time, as it sounded different from what he was accustomed to. He recognized that everything changed when Drake released his 2009 breakout hit, which established his signature sound.

Akon noted that Drake's rising popularity made it financially impossible to sign him as a future superstar. Additionally, Akon addressed misconceptions about Wizkid's rise, clarifying that he did not discover Wizkid but rather supported Banky W's efforts to push Wizkid internationally, contributing to the artist's early global breakthrough.