D'banj

D'banj rewrote Afrobeats history as the genre's first global pop star. His 2012 single "Oliver Twist" reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart, making him the first Nigerian artist to achieve a major UK mainstream hit, and he has sold over 10 million records worldwide. This reach outperforms #7 Asa, who never matched UK chart success despite her French number one. D'banj's harmonica-laced sound and electric showmanship dominated Nigerian pop for nearly a decade, from 2005 to 2014, with a cross-continental appeal that remains a benchmark for the genre's commercial ambitions.