Akon Hails Michael Jackson, Praises Nigerians Over Afrobeats Success

American singer Akon has described his collaboration with late pop icon Michael Jackson as one of the proudest moments of his career.

Speaking during a recent episode of the We Need To Talk podcast, the singer said meeting and working with Michael Jackson remained a memorable experience because of the admiration he had for the legendary entertainer while growing up.

According to Akon, despite already being an established global star when they worked together, he still felt like “a child” in Jackson’s presence.

“My photo with Michael Jackson is my proudest photo. I was already a full-blown celebrity at the point the photo was taken, but I am a child compared to this man,” he said.

The ‘Oh Africa’ crooner added that he was excited to collaborate with the late singer because Jackson had long been an inspiration to him and millions of music lovers around the world.

“He is like everybody’s idol,” Akon stated.

The 53-year-old singer also reflected on his involvement in the growth of African music, particularly Afrobeats, noting that he previously worked with Nigerian artistes including P-Square and Wizkid.

He further praised Nigerians for their contribution to the global success of Afrobeats, describing them as highly intelligent people who have played a major role in expanding the genre’s international appeal.

“Nigerians are the most intelligent people on the planet. They have done amazingly well with Afrobeats,” he added.