Swizz Beatz, an American music producer, has revealed that he and his wife, Alicia Keys, played a significant role in introducing Afrobeats to American audiences. In the latest episode of Amazon Music's Roundtable audiovisual podcast, the DJ explained how he and his wife were early adopters of the genre before it became mainstream in the US. They did this by sharing a video of themselves dancing to Wizkid's music, which helped to spread the word about Afrobeats in the US.
Swizz Beats also revealed that he helped to bring Burna Boy to the United States by giving him a platform to perform to audiences before he gained widespread recognition. Swizz was the first person to play Wizkid's song and the first to introduce Burna Boy on stage, despite some people's ignorance about African music at the time.
Swizz believes that the key to acceptance of new genres is education, stating that Americans should not be afraid of the educational journey that comes with something that sounds or feels different. With his and Alicia's help, Afrobeats has become increasingly popular in the US, and the genre has gained recognition from major American music awards.
