Ahmed Ololade, also known as Asake professionally, and Daniel Benson, also known as BNXN, are two well-known Nigerian Afrobeats musicians who have been selected by YouTube to be part of its 2023 YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts.

The initiative, according to a statement released on Tuesday by YouTube EMEA's Managing Director of Emerging Markets, Alex Okosi, was a follow-up to a global multi-year commitment made in 2020.

YouTube will provide $20,000 and $50,000 in seed funding through the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts to creators and the African creative sector, respectively, as part of the campaign.

Okosi revealed that 40 creators from Sub-Saharan Africa would be included in the 135 #YouTubeBlack Voices Creators selected globally and enrolled in the cohort. She noted that the grant's aim was to support and advance Black songwriters, producers, creators, and artists on the platform.

African musicians on the rise include BNXN, Asake from Nigeria, Gyakie from Ghana, and Kamo Mphela from South Africa among the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices artists chosen.

The selected would also enjoy dedicated partner support for six months with the opportunity to participate in programmes including bespoke training, workshops and networking programmes spread out across the year.

”We are excited about the creators, musical artists, and producers from Africa joining others from across the world in the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund,” Okosi stated.