Popular American music producer, Swizz Beatz has closed that to be the one, alongside his wife to bring Nigerian singers, Wizkid and Burna Boy to the United States.
The renowned DJ said he and his wife introduced American audiences to Afrobeats by sharing a video of themselves dancing to Wizkid’s songs when the genre was not yet mainstream in the US.
Swizz Beatz revealed this on the latest episode of Amazon Music’s Roundtable audiovisual podcast.
He also disclosed that he brought Burna Boy to the United States by giving him a platform to perform to the audience before he started popping, statewide.
He said, “I introduced Wizkid to America. I was the first person to play his song. Me and my wife [Alicia Keys] were on a trip and we danced to his songs.
“I was [also] the first person to bring Burna Boy to the States. I introduced him on the stage. When I was playing Fela Kuti, people thought I was being too African. And that how ignorant the energy was at that time. But I didn’t let that stop me from moving what I’m moving because it’s what it’s. It’s about education. We [Americans] can’t be scared of the educational journey of something that sounds different or feels different.
See video below:
“Alicia Keys and I were the first people that introduced Wizkid to American audiences and I was also the first person to bring Burna Boy to the States.”
– Swizz Beats on Afrobeats pic.twitter.com/yjRMR155QX
— BASITO (@itzbasito) April 30, 2023
