ENTERTAINMENT

(A MUST READ) Burna Boy The African Giant: An Understatement Or Ovestatement? – Written By Yusuph Mutiu Sturaro

November 24, 2019

Sean tizzle won the next rated award in the 2013 edition of the headies against an on-form Phyno and a fast-rising Burna boy making Sean the first artist to scoop the gong without a studio Album. Burna boy vexed because of his input in the music industry with an album to his name. L.I.F.E ( Leaving an Impact For Eternity) where he had so many legends voiced on the work – 2face and Timaya appeared on a track, Olamide and Reminisce on ‘Don’t run’, Wizkid on a track titled ‘Jah love is true’. No disrespect to Sean tizzle’s jam titled – ‘Shole’. Still, it was nothing near the kaboom Burna boy’s album unleashed. It will interest you to know that Burna boy won the best new act in a more organized Nigeria Entertainment Awards in that same year. Burna wasn’t perturbed with all the irregularities that marred the Headies. He moved on, releasing back-to-back hits. Africans started noticing his capabilities when he featured on a single by South African rapper AKA alongside Da Les and Jr, titled ‘All eyes on me’ in the year 2014, The track eventually go on to win the best African collaboration at the recognized All Africa Music Award.

In 2014, Burna Boy split from Aristokrat records and created his own record label called Spaceship Entertainment in 2015.

He released his second album On a Spaceship on 25 November 2015. In September 2016, he released the 7-track EP Redemption. Its lead single “Pree Me” debuted on Noisey.

In January 2018, Burna Boy was featured on “Sunshine Riptide”, a track from Fall Out Boy’s seventh studio album MANIA (2018). He released his third studio album Outside on January 26, 2018. Described as a mixtape, Outside consists mostly of Afrobeats, dancehall, reggae and road rap. It features guest vocals from English musicians J Hus, Lily Allen and Mabel. Outside was supported by six singles: “Rock Your Body”, “Streets of Africa”, “Koni Baje”, “Sekkle Down”, “Heaven’s Gate” and “Ye”. Its production was handled by Leriq, Baba Stiltz, Jae 5, Juls, Chopstix, Steel Banglez, Fred Gibson, Phantom and FTSE. The album received critical acclaim and was ranked by Pulse Nigeria and Nigerian Entertainment Today as the best Nigerian album of 2018. It won Album of the Year at the 2018 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In February 2018, Outside debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. The album’s biggest single “Ye” ended up atop most Nigerian publications year-end list as the biggest song of 2018.

On 7 October 2018, Burna Boy performed before a sold-out crowd at London’s O2 Academy Brixton.A day prior to the show, he held a pop-up event at Red by Little Farm and sold limited boxes of his Space Puffs cereal, as well as custom notepads, lighters and graphic tee-shirts. On 9 October 2018, Burna Boy was announced as one of Spotify’s New Afro Hub Takeover Artist. The announcement coincided with him being named YouTube’s Artist on the Rise for 3 months.

In 2019, he was announced alongside Mr Eazi as one of the artists performing at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. He won four awards at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, including African Artiste of the Year, Listener’s Choice and Best Male MVP.

In March 2019, Burna Boy released a 4-track collaborative EP with Los Angeles-based electronic duo DJDS, titled Steel & Copper.

June 2019, Burna Boy won Best International Act at the 2019 BET Awards. In July 2019, Burna Boy was announced as Apple Music’s Up Next artist. His inclusion into the program was accompanied by a Beats 1 interview with Julie Adenuga and a short documentary.

Burna Boy’s fourth studio album African Giant was released on July 26, 2019. It has been supported by six singles: “Gbona”, “On the Low”, Killin Dem”, “Dangote”, “Anybody” and “Pull Up”. He began recording the album in 2018. He told Billboard magazine that the album is his most personal yet. He first revealed plans to release the album in April 2019, and held a private listening session in Los Angeles. Photos and videos from the listening session were shared on social media. African Giant was initially announced as a 16-track album.

In order to promote the album, Burna Boy will headline the African Giant Returns tour, the second leg of his African Giant tour.
In a track that was believed to be an intro track Oluwa burna said ” I know say one day e go better I go carry Grammy because anything wey better require planning”. With all these efforts by the acclaimed African Giant, isn’t it the right time we accept him as the biggest artist on the continent at the moment. Just yesterday, he featured alongside “almighty” ed sheeran on a song titled own it. What more do you need to see that he’s the biggest thing at the moment.

I do hope you win the Grammy so as to shut your naysayers. Congratulations Damini Ogulu. Congratulations Burna boy!
African Giant: an understatement or overstatement. It’s left to you to decide!

Yusuph Mutiu Olaitan is my name. The one friends and enemies call Young Sturaro.

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ZAGAEMPIRE MOBILE APP

You Might Also Like

No Comments

Leave a Reply