There used to a time when doing music was not an admirable or attractive career choice in Africa, both socially and financially. A child who wanted to make a career out of music was seen as a lazy child who wants to bring shame and dishonour to the family.
Parents did everything they could to dissuade their children from ever associating themselves with those talented in music, not to talk of toeing that path.
They used corporal punishments, destruction of musical instruments possessed by their young wards and other tactics to dissuade them from the choice. The insistent wards who dared go against the whims of the parents and guardians were outrightly disowned in some cases.
However, the narrative changed around the 90’s and early 2000’s. By that time, African music had started gaining commercial attention. Musicians started earning good pay for their shows and concerts. Albums started selling like wildfire. Everything changed.
Today, there is no limit to the wealth one can acquire through music. It is entirely a different story from what it used to be.
Here is a carefully researched list of the 10 Richest African Musicians of all Time.
1. Akon
Country: Senegal
Net worth: $80 million
Aliaune Damala Akon Thiam, popularly called ‘Akon’ is a Senegalese singer and songwriter who rose to stardom in 2004 after the release of his single ‘Locked Up’ which is the first single from his highly-successful debut album ‘Trouble’.
Akon founded the record label, Konvict Muzik in the same year he launched his debut album ‘Trouble’. He followed it up with Konlive Distribution in 2007.
The record labels signed very successful artists such as Lady Gaga and Kat DeLuna and T.Pain.
According to Forbes, Akon is worth $80 million. He currently stands as the richest African Musician of all time.
2. Black Coffee
Country: South Africa
Net worth: $60 million
Black Coffee is a South African singer, DJ and producer whose career started in 1994.
So far, he has released 5 albums. He rose to prominence after his participation in the Red Bull Academy of 2004, which took place in Cape Town, South Africa.
Black Coffee was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 when he performed as a Disc Jockey for 60 hours non-stop.
In 2019, Forbes ranked him the second richest African musician with a $60 million net worth.
3. Don Jazzy
Country: Nigeria
Net worth: $30 million
Michael Collins Ajereh better known as Don Jazzy became famous when he founded Mo’ Hit Records in 2004 alongside his erstwhile music associate, Dapo Oyebanjo (D’banj).
The successful musical group recruited other artistes that recorded huge success in the label, like Wande Coal and Dr Sid.
2012 saw the end of Mo’Hit following crash of interest between Don Jazzy and D’banj.
Don Jazzy founded another label, Mavin Records in May 2012. He is listed as the 3rd richest musician in 2019 by Forbes.
4. Wizkid
Country: Nigeria
Net worth: $20 million
Ayodeji Balogun, known by his stage name as Wizkid is ranked the 4th richest African musician of all time.
Wizkid became a formidable force to reckon with in the music scene immediately after he launched his career in 2011 with the widely accepted single ‘Holla At Your Boy’.
He was formally signed to Banky Wellington and Tunde Demuren’s E.M.E Records. Wizkid departed E.M.E in 2013 after the expiration of his 5 years contract with the music label.
He established his own label, Starboy Entertainment the same year. According to Forbes, Wizkid is worth $20 million.
5. Davido
Country: Nigeria
Net worth: $17 million
His real name is David Adeleke but known as Davido by fans and music lovers.
Davido rose to prominence in 2011 with the release of his sensational single ‘Dami Duro’. The 27-year-old Nigerian singer has 3 albums to his credit.
His first album, “Omo Baba Olowo” was released in 2012. After that, came “Son of Mercy” which he released in 2016.
His 3rd album, “A Good Time”, released on November 22, 2019, features Hip Hop heavyweights like Chris Brown.
Davido disclosed that the latest album was recorded in Atlanta, U.S.A.
Forbes listed Davido as one of the richest musicians in Africa with a fortune worth of $17 million.
6. Sarkodie
Country: Ghana
Net worth: $7 million
The Ghanaian rapper, whose real name is Michael Owusu Addo, stands as the richest and only musician from Ghana to make it in the list of richest African musicians of all time.
Sarkodie started doing music professionally in 2005. The rapper who mostly raps in his native “Twi” language has 4 studio albums to his credit: Makye (2009), Rapperholic (2012), Sarkology (2014) and Highest (2017).
According to Forbes, Sarkodie is worth $7 million. This automatically makes him one of the richest African musicians of all time, standing tall at the 6th position.
7. Tinashe
Country: Zimbabwe
Net worth: $6 million
Tinashe Kachingwe is a Zimbabwean singer, songwriter and dancer born to a Zimbabwean father and a Danish mother.
She lives in the United States of America where she has worked as an actress, dancer, and songwriter.
Her music career became more pronounced with the released of her debut studio album, Aquarius in 2014.
She is listed as the 7th richest African musician with a net worth of $6 million.
8. Hugh Masekela
Country: South Africa
Net worth: $1.5 million
Masekela was a South African trumpeter and composer, widely described as the “Father of South African Jazz”. He is also remembered for his anti-apartheid songs such as “Soweto Blues and Bring Him Back Home”.
In 1968, his song had a number-one US pop hit with his adaptation of ‘Grazing in the Grass’. He recorded over 45 albums and was nominated for the Grammy on 3 different occasions.
Forbes listed him as one of the richest African musicians of all time with a net worth of $1.5 million. Hugh Masekela passed away in January 2018. May his soul continue to rest in peace.
9. Jidenna
Country: Nigeria
Net worth: $1 million
Jidenna Theodore Mobisson is a Nigerian singer born to a Nigerian father and an American mother. Jidenna, as he is fondly called, spent some of his childhood in Nigeria before moving to America at the tender age of 6.
While in high school Jidenna’s passion for music developed leading the singer to co-found the rap group ‘Black Spadez’. From there, he started producing and writing songs.
The 34-year-old singer rose to prominence in 2015 following the release of his first official single ‘Classic Man’. The song made it to #49 on Billboard Hot RnB/Hip-Pop Airplay chart.
Jidenna has won awards for his music including 4 SoulTrain awards. Forbes listed him among 10 richest African musicians with a net worth of $1 million.
10. Oliver Mtukudzi
Country: Zimbabwe
Net worth: $1 million
The last on the list of 10 richest African musicians of all time is Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi. Mtukudzi was a Zimbabwean musician that recorded over 65 albums in his lifetime.
He is known to be Zimbabwe’s most renowned and internationally recognized musician of all times. Mtukudzi’s lend his voice to the struggles of Rhodesians (Zimbabweans) during the pre-independent white minority rule.
Even after the Zimbabwean Independence in 1980, he continued to preach tolerance among Zimbabweans.
Though Mtukudzi’s exact net worth could not be ascertained before his death in January 2019, he is widely believed and ranked as one of the richest African musicians of all times, with over 65 albums and millions of Youtube views.