The City Reporters graphic: Wizkid, 2Face and Banky W: Afrobeats money then and now

Wizkid, 2Face and Banky W: Afrobeats money then and now

ByDana Kowalczyk

Graphic: The City Reporters

In 2013, Nigerian media widely reported a Forbes ranking of the country’s highest-earning musicians, comparing rising star Wizkid with established names such as 2Face Idibia and Banky W. More than a decade later, the comparison looks very different, and it tells the story of how Afrobeats became a global industry, with a strong following in Houston’s large Nigerian community.

Wizkid

Ayodeji Balogun, known as Wizkid, rose to fame in Lagos in the early 2010s. His international profile grew through collaborations including Drake’s “One Dance,” and he won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video for “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter and Saint Jhn. His album Made in Lagos and the single “Essence” with Tems brought Afrobeats to mainstream American radio.

2Face Idibia

Innocent Idibia, who performs as 2Face and later 2Baba, is one of Nigeria’s best-known artists, remembered for the 2004 hit “African Queen.” His career helped lay the groundwork for the generation that followed.

Banky W

Olubankole Wellington, known as Banky W, built a career as a singer and as founder of the label Empire Mates Entertainment, which helped launch Wizkid. He later moved into acting and politics.

Afrobeats in Houston

Major Afrobeats artists regularly include Houston on U.S. tours, and the city’s Nigerian and broader West African communities support a busy calendar of concerts, club nights and cultural festivals. Artists’ earnings today come from streaming, touring and brand partnerships far more than from the CD sales that dominated a decade ago.

Source material: Recording Academy (Grammy Awards) records; Artist discographies and label announcements.

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