American artistes come on stage 'high' unlike 'natural' African showstoppers like Blacko, Fireboy - Akon

Music executive and mogul Akon has minced no words describing American artistes are poor stage performers who come on stage anxious and high on drugs.

He was comparing his American counterparts to his African fellows.

The Senegalese-American superstar has publicly taken keen interest in Ghana's sensational Black Sherif, alias Kwaku Frimpong.

"Black Sherif is a monster. He reminds me so much of myself," he repeated his BBC Radio 1Xtra sentiments to his host British TV personality Zeze Millz.

The 49-year-old confirmed he was at the 2022 Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards where Sherif performed just before Nigeria's Fireboy.

Black Sherif "is a beast!" he praised again, recalling the night with Zeze Millz.

On how a 20-year-old wields so much charisma and stage presence, Akon offered a simple explanation.

"He's African," he shrugged to dramatise.

"We're a little different when it comes to stage presence," he beamed with pride.

He juxtaposed African acts on stage with what has been his experience and observation "in America."

"Those [people] will be wobbling with their pants [trousers] hanging half down, bored as hell, half-asleep because they are high as hell on stage," the multi-platinum musician said matter-of-factly.

"In Africa, we wake up [ready].

"Look at all these YouTube clips of all these kids from Uganda and how they'll be...," he tried to mimick the viral dance routines. "These kids are performers!"

For "us" Africans, "it comes naturally," he touted. "Watching the kids from Africa [it's clear] that it's in their blood."

"Performance is like second nature for us," the record producer and singer-songwriter stressed. "So I wasn't suprised at all to see Black Sherif [on the MOBO stage, where] he was just a beast."

"And Fireboy has his own other type of swag that comes with him," he nodded slightly.

"You can tell he's like the new generation African talent."

Akon was a friend and collaborator with Michael Jackson.

The Konvict Music and Konvict Kulture Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has more than two decades' worth experience as an artiste.