Edo State-born Afrobeats singer David Cross, popularly known as Kwate, has won the Best African USA-Based Artiste of the Year award at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA).
The recognition has sparked congratulatory messages from fans and supporters who celebrated the singer’s achievement on the international stage.
Kwate was announced as the winner during the grand finale of the 2026 AFRIMMA Awards, held in Dallas, Texas, on September 12.
The award represents a major international recognition for the Nigerian artiste, who has continued to develop his music career in the United States while maintaining strong connections to his Nigerian roots.
In his acceptance speech, Kwate described the award as a reflection of hard work, resilience and the growing global influence of African artistes building careers outside the continent.
He expressed appreciation to God, his family, management team, fans, DJs, promoters, media professionals and AFRIMMA for their support throughout his musical journey.
The singer also used the occasion to encourage African musicians based in the United States to take their careers more seriously by investing in their music, branding, performances and overall professionalism.
To every Afrobeats artiste based in America: stop asking America to take African music seriously when some of us don’t take ourselves seriously, Kwate said.
Kwate further advised emerging artistes not to rely solely on awards or external recognition as a measure of success.
Awards don’t build careers. Work does. Don’t wait to be chosen. Choose yourself, build your platform, and let your work make the world notice,” he said.
His message has resonated with fans and aspiring musicians, particularly African artistes seeking to establish themselves in the highly competitive international music market.
Kwate began his musical journey in Edo State before relocating to Lagos in 1998.
His career gained wider attention in 2010 following the release of “Party Dey Here,” a track from his debut album, Tami Lorobo.
Over the years, the singer has continued to pursue his music career while expanding his audience beyond Nigeria.
His more recent projects include the From Me To You EP and the single “Flower Boy,” which have continued to attract listeners and streams online.
The AFRIMMA 2026 recognition adds another international milestone to Kwate’s career and highlights the growing presence of African artistes building audiences and careers across the global music industry.
