How I made Afrobeats popular - Drake

Rapper Drake has revealed how he contributed to the popularity of Afrobeats, a music genre which is fast taking the world by storm.

Speaking in an interview with Rap Radar, the Canadian rapper took the time to clear the air on accusations that he steals from other cultures to inspire his music.

According to Drake, what he does can't be termed in such a manner because he gives back to the cultures that inspire him.

“The definition of appropriating a culture is not supporting that culture, doing songs with people who are deeply rooted in that culture, giving opportunity to people who are in that culture. That’s not appropriating. Appropriating is taking it for your own personal gain and denying that it was ever inspired from this. That’s the true disservice that somebody could do to the U.K., to dancehall, to Afrobeats…anytime I’ve embarked on one of those journeys, I ensure that I’m not only paying all due respects, verbally, but I make a point to give opportunity to people I respect”, he said.

Giving an example of how he gives back to cultures that inspire his music, Drake mentioned how he featured Nigerian singer Wizkid on his Afrobeat hit song One Dance.

“I’m not one of those people that can be inspired by something and be like, ‘Oh, well that was inspiring! Thanks!’ And just move on with it…I gotta, at least, honor the person that handed me off the football before I ran for the touchdown. Because when I do things, they do get magnified and amplified, people can sometimes feel uncomfortable. Like, ‘Oh, okay. One Dance goes number one and all of a sudden it’s Afro-inspired.’ But it’s like, ‘Wiz-Kid was on the song with me.’ I had blessings from the real dons in that space. I know those guys. I link with those guys. I go to their shows. They go to my shows. They touch my stage. So the chatter is one thing, but in the community amongst the real G’s that are really doing this s***, I’m solidified. For sure”, Drake said.