Mid-2000's reggaeton took over hip-hop. Artist like Jay-Z aka El Presidente, N.O.R.E. and Fat Joe were in the forefront of the movement. Right now we are seeing the same kind of pattern with afrobeats.
Drake claimed he popularized afrobeats in the States and he might not be wrong. But some of the major players have been doing afrobeats collaborations way before One Dance. Kanye signed Nigerian D'Banj to G.O.O.D. Music in 2011 and did a remix to his song Scape Goat. Snoop Dogg, Akon and Rick Ross were also in the forefront of the afrobeats crossover movement.
Right now afrobeats and pop go together just like reggaeton dembow. Beyonce made a whole afrobeats compilation album with all the African a-list artists. Burna Boy's star-studded African Giant album peaked at Billboard 200.
Here's my effort to showcase rappers and r&b singers on afrobeats crossover songs.
Tracklist
D'Banj 🇳🇬 - Scape Goat (Remix) feat. Kanye West (2011)
GoldLink - U Say feat. Tyler, The Creator & Jay Prince (produced by Juls 🇬🇭 ) (2019)
Salatiel 🇨🇲 , Pharrell & Beyonce - WATER feat Moonchild Sanelly 🇿🇦(2019)
Drake - Get It Together feat. Black Coffee 🇿🇦 & Jorja Smith (2019)
Wizkid 🇳🇬- Show You The Money (Remix) feat. Tyga (2014)
P-Square 🇳🇬- Chop My Money feat. Akon & May D 🇳🇬 (2012)
Davido 🇳🇬 - How Long feat. Tinashe (2016)
Mr Eazi 🇳🇬 - Leg Over (Remix) feat. French Montana, Ty Dolla Sign & Major Lazer (2017)
Burna Boy 🇳🇬 - Gum Body feat. Jorja Smith (2019)
Willie XO 🇳🇬 - Early In The Morning feat. Ashanti (2019)
Burna Boy 🇳🇬- Show & Tell feat. Future (2019)
Davido 🇳🇬- D&G feat. Summer Walker (2019)
Quavo - Swing feat. Normani & Davido 🇳🇬 (2018)
Burna Boy 🇳🇬 - This Side feat. YG (2019)
Stonebwoy 🇬🇭- Nominate feat. Keri Hilson (2020)
Angel - Blessings (Remix) feat. French Montana & Davido 🇳🇬(2020)
Wizkid 🇳🇬 - Ojuelegba (Remix) feat. Drake & Skepta (2015)
P-Square 🇳🇬 - Beautiful Onyinye (Remix) feat. Rick Ross (2012)
Diamond Platnumz 🇹🇿- African Beauty feat. Omarion (2018)
Wale - Fine Girl feat. Davido 🇳🇬 & Olamide 🇳🇬 (2017)
Mr Eazi 🇳🇬 - Tony Montana feat. Tyga (2019)
Wizkid 🇳🇬 - Gbese feat. Trey Songz (2017)
Afro B 🇬🇧 🇨🇮 - Condo feat. T-Pain (2019)
Chris Brown - Lower Body ft. Davido 🇳🇬 (2019)