Nigerian-American singer and actor, Olurotimi Akinosho, better known as Rotimi, has explained his departure from 50 Cent’s G-Unit record label, citing a lack of understanding of his musical style by the label’s head.
In a recent interview on Adesope Live, Rotimi shared that when he signed with G-Unit, Afrobeats was not yet mainstream in the United States, especially in the West.
While artists like Davido and Wizkid were starting to gain recognition in cities like Boston and New York, the genre hadn’t fully reached the broader U.S. market.
Rotimi said, “I was signed to G-Unit, but then in 2017/2018, Afrobeats was not mainstream in the United States. Davido and Wizkid had records that were gaining traction in Boston, New York, but it wasn’t mainstream at that time.
“Afrobeats was big in the States, but they weren’t following it in LA. So, 50 Cent and I had a conversation. He was like, ‘What’s this sound you are trying to do?’ I said, ‘Bro, it’s Afrobeats.
“I have a record called ‘Love Rhythm’ and it’s going to blow up. But if you don’t understand what it is, then I have to go somewhere else.’ He let me out of my deal because we disagreed on the creative process, Afrobeats.”
He went on to explain that following the disagreement, 50 Cent allowed him to leave the label.
Rotimi eventually became the first Afrobeats artist to sign with Empire, a label that supported his vision and creative direction.