Kanye West Urges American Rappers to Learn from Nigerian Afrobeats Stars, Jewish Investors, and Tech Leaders
American rapper and music mogul Kanye West has advised his fellow rappers to take lessons from Nigerian Afrobeats artists, Jewish investors, as well as Chinese and Indian tech entrepreneurs.
In a recent interview with DJ Akademiks, West criticized the business acumen of many American rappers, asserting that they often lack understanding of the legal and financial aspects of the music industry and rely heavily on external advisors to manage their affairs.
West Criticizes Rappers’ Business Acumen
Speaking candidly during the interview, Kanye expressed frustration over what he perceives as a lack of financial literacy and independence among his peers in the music industry.
“None of these nggas [rappers] are as smart as me,” West claimed. “I can’t speak for the tech dudes—that’s a whole other level—but artists are dumb, bro. They can’t even fcking count. Jewish people and lawyers run their whole business—contracts, setups, everything.”
The rapper went on to challenge the industry, questioning whether a record label or television network could be successfully run without Jewish investors.
“Okay, go and ask them to run a whole record label without a Jewish person. I will take back what I had to say if they can. Go and set up your whole TV network, make it run with no Jewish investor—let me see how that works.”
Praise for Nigerian Afrobeats Artists and Global Business Leaders
West further emphasized that American rappers need to adopt a more strategic and self-sufficient approach to business, similar to Nigerian Afrobeats artists who have successfully built global careers. He also pointed to the influence of Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs in the tech industry as examples of strong financial and business independence.
“Until motherf*ckers can really get their stuff together like the Nigerians, the Chinese, the Jewish, or the Indian tech guys, everything I’m saying counts,” he asserted.
West’s remarks have sparked discussions within the music industry, with some agreeing that artists need to take greater control of their business affairs, while others view his comments as controversial. Nonetheless, his statements highlight the growing influence of Nigerian artists and global business leaders in shaping the future of entertainment and technology.
