Roots of Akon

P-Square were a Nigerian music duo composed of the twin brothers Peter Okoye and Paul Okoye, who co-write and co-produce most of their songs. Noted for their artistic reinvention, musical versatility, and visual presentation, they are widely regarded as one of the most influential African acts of all time and one of the most successful music groups from Africa. They were integral to the evolution of 2000s and 2010s African popular music. The duo was launched into the mainstream recognition following the release of the song "Senorita" in 2003, and later gained recognition after releasing their sophomore album Get Squared in 2005. The success of the album earned them a nomination at the MTV Europe Music Awards for Best African Act in 2006. In 2015, P-Square was awarded Artistes of the Decade at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2015.

Shontelle Delia Layne, known mononymously as Shontelle, is a Barbadian singer and songwriter. She released her debut album Shontelligence in 2008. Her second album, No Gravity, was released in 2010. Her singles "T-Shirt" and "Impossible" achieved international success. In 2020, Shontelle released "Remember Me".

Lavell William Crump, known professionally as David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and activist.

Niia Bertino, known professionally as Niia, is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter.

John-Michael Hakeem Gibson, better known by his stage name Cash Out, is an American former rapper and convicted sex offender. He signed with Epic Records to release his 2011 single "Cashin' Out", which peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After parting ways with the label, his 2014 single "She Twerkin" narrowly entered the chart and served as the lead single for his debut studio album Let's Get It (2014), which in turn moderately entered the Billboard 200.

Ali Bouali, known professionally as Ali B is a Moroccan-Dutch rapper and entertainer. He is one of the most prominent rappers in the Netherlands and has collaborated with musicians such as Akon and Marco Borsato. He is seen as a leading figure in Dutch inter-ethnic relations.

Stan Roto Walker is an Australian-New Zealand singer, actor, and television personality. In 2009, Walker was the winner of the seventh season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia. It was in December 2009, Walker released his debut studio album, Introducing Stan Walker, which included the hit single, "Black Box". The album debuted at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). It also appeared on the New Zealand Albums Chart at number two and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

Charles Jawanzaa Worth, known by his stage name Chip tha Ripper, is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his guest appearance on fellow Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi's 2013 single "Just What I Am," and also was featured on "Hyyerr" from Kid Cudi’s album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Along with his association with Cudi, Worth has amassed numerous mixtapes tailored for the Cleveland area.

Stanley Robert Vinton is a retired American singer and actor, who hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid tribute to his Polish heritage. One of his most popular songs is "Blue Velvet" which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, No. 1 in Canada, and number 2 in the UK in 1990.

Suspekt is a Danish hip hop group. They are known for their dark, intense style, which has sometimes been described as horrorcore. The group consists of rappers Bai-D and Orgi-E, as well as producer Rune Rask. Former member Troo.L.S announced in 2008 that he would move to the United States to work, as a producer, with hip hop/R&B artist Akon.

David Arnold Augustine Jr., known professionally as Dee-1, is an American rapper, author, educator, and activist from New Orleans, Louisiana. The success of his 2010 single, "Jay, 50, and Weezy", led him to sign a recording contract with RCA Inspiration three years later. In 2019, he parted ways with the label in favor of an independent career.

Vishal Dadlani is an Indian singer, songwriter, music composer and occasional actor. He is one half of the duo Vishal–Shekhar, and frontman and vocalist of rock band Pentagram.

David R. Styles, better known by his stage name Styles P, is an American rapper, best known as a member of East Coast hip-hop group The Lox. Formed with fellow rappers Sheek Louch and Jadakiss in 1994, the group was also part of the Ruff Ryders Entertainment collective.

Roberto Zanetti is an Italian singer, music producer and businessman from Massa, Tuscany. As a singer, he is known under the stage name Savage and as a music producer he uses the alias Robyx.

Jay Wayne Jenkins, known by his stage name Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences. Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums until signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his major label debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005). The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); its lead single, "Soul Survivor", peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.