Serge Ibaka

This Congolese-Spanish, NBA- and European Championship-winning basketball player began collaborating musically with Afrobeats and rap artists from across the African diaspora in the early 2020s. His first single, "Champion" -- featuring the Parisian rapper Ninho -- went platinum within three months, and by the release of its parent album, August 2022's Art, it had racked up 35 million streams. The album itself was a rich showcase of African talent, featuring contributions from artists such as Ghana's Gyakie, Senegal's Papi, and the Ivory Coast's Suspect 95.