Nigerian singer David Adeleke, aka Davido, has said he deserves his recent recognition by Forbes as “King of Afrobeats” because it has always been his dream to see the genre become mainstream in the western world.

He stated this in a recent interview with Billboard News.

He said he was one of the first Afrobeats artists to get signed by a major international record label.

Asked how he feels about being called the “King of Afrobeats” by Forbes, Davido said, “I mean, it’s true. I have lived in both places; I have lived in America. I went to school right here too, in Alabama. I was always spreading the gospel of African culture—the food, the fashion.

“So, when it was time to do music, my dream was always the crossover; ‘When will that crossover happen?’ And you know, I was one of the first to get signed by a major label.”