Wizkid Paved the Way for African Artists, Says Nasty C

South African rapper Nasty C has credited Nigerian singer Wizkid with helping bring African music to a global audience.

In a recent podcast interview, the Zulu artist explained that Wizkid’s 2016 collaboration with Canadian superstar Drake on “One Dance” opened international doors for modern African musicians.

He added that the success of the track made Afrobeats more lucrative, prompting some rappers to shift from hip‑hop to the genre.

“Wizkid and Drake’s collaboration on ‘One Dance’ opened the door for African artists. 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 said.

Daily Post reports that Drake’s “One Dance,” which featured Wizkid and British singer Kyla, holds the Guinness World Record for being the first song to reach one billion streams on Spotify.

The track blends Afrobeats, dancehall, and pop, and is regarded as one of the songs that brought global attention to Afrobeats.

Drake has acknowledged that Wizkid made a significant contribution to the song.

Wizkid is credited as co‑songwriter, co‑producer, and performer.