Burna Boy
Burna Boy | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu |
Also known as |
|
Born | Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria | 2 July 1991
Genres | |
Occupations |
|
Instrument | Vocals |
Discography | Burna Boy discography |
Years active | 2010–present |
Labels | Atlantic, Spaceship Records |
Website | www |
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu MFR[3] (born 2 July 1991),[1] known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer.[4][2][5] He gained recognition in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and its parent company Warner Music Group. His third studio album Outside, which also serves as his major label debut, was released in 2018.[6]
In 2019, Burna Boy won Best International Act at the BET Awards, and was named an Apple Music Up Next artist. That same year, he released his fourth studio album, African Giant, which won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[7][8] In 2020, Burna Boy won African Artist of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards, and released his fifth studio album Twice as Tall, which won Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[9][10] He won Best International Act at the 2021 BET Awards for the third time.
Burna Boy's sixth studio album Love, Damini, which was released in July 2022, became the highest debut Nigerian album on the Billboard 200 chart. It also became the highest-charting African album in France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.[11] In October 2022, Burna Boy was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic plaque for his achievements in music.[3] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked him number 197 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time.[12] Burna Boy won his fourth Best International Act at the 2023 BET Awards.[13] His song "Last Last" won Afrobeats Single of the Year and Song of the Year at The Headies 2023.[14] Burna Boy became the first African artist to have two albums earned over 1 billion streams on Spotify.[15]
Life and career
[edit]Early life and education
[edit]Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu was born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.[16] His mother, Bose Ogulu, worked as a language translator, and his father, Samuel Ogulu, managed a welding company. His maternal grandfather Benson Idonije once managed Fela Kuti.[17][18] Later, his mother became his manager.[19] Ogulu grew up in Southern Nigeria and began making his own beats using FL Studio.[17][20] He attended Corona Secondary School in Agbara, Ogun State, before relocating to London, England, to further his studies.[17][21] He studied media technology at the University of Sussex from 2008 to 2009,[22] and also studied media communications and culture at Oxford Brookes University from 2009 to 2010.[23] Burna Boy returned to Port Harcourt and took up a year-long internship at Rhythm 93.7 FM.[23] He launched his music career after returning to Lagos.[23][24]
2012–2015: L.I.F.E (Leaving an Impact for Eternity) and On a Spaceship
[edit]Burna Boy's debut studio album, L.I.F.E, was released on 12 August 2013, serving as the follow-up to his second mixtape Burn Identity (2011). The album sold 40,000 copies on the day of its release. Aristokrat Records later sold its marketing rights to Uba Pacific for ₦10 million.[25] The album's release was preceded by five singles: "Like to Party", "Tonight", "Always Love You", "Run My Race", and "Yawa Dey". L.I.F.E was produced entirely by Leriq and features guest appearances from 2face Idibia, M.I Abaga, Timaya, Olamide, Reminisce, and Wizkid, among others.[26] Nigeria Entertainment Today ranked the album 10th on its list of the 12th Best Albums of 2013.[27] The album's music was inspired by Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and Bob Marley. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, who applauded its production. It was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In August 2013, L.I.F.E peaked at number seven on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.[28]
In 2014, Burna Boy split from Aristokrat Records;[29] eight months later, he founded the record label Spaceship Entertainment, in February, 2015.[30] Burna Boy's second studio album, On a Spaceship, was released on 25 November 2015.[31] His 7-track debut extended play, Redemption, was released in September 2016. Its lead single, "Pree Me" debuted on Noisey.[32][33]
2018–2019: Outside and African Giant
[edit]On 19 January 2018, Burna Boy was featured on American rock band Fall Out Boy's song "Sunshine Riptide", a track from their seventh studio album Mania.[34] He released his third studio album, Outside, exactly a week later, on 26 January, 2018. Described by the singer as a mixtape, Outside consists mostly of afrobeats, dancehall, reggae, and road rap. It features guest appearances 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 positive critical acclaim and was ranked by Pulse Nigeria and Nigerian Entertainment Today as the best Nigerian album of 2018.[35][36] It won Album of the Year at the 2018 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.[37] In February 2018, Outside debuted at number three on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.[38] A single from the album, "Ye", ended up atop most Nigerian publications year-end list as the biggest song of 2018.[39][40]
On 7 October 2018, Burna Boy performed before a sold-out crowd at London's O2 Academy Brixton.[41] 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.[42] On October 9, 2018, he was announced as one of Spotify's new Afro Hub takeover artists.[43] The announcement coincided with him being named YouTube's Artist on the Rise for three months.[44]
On 3 January 2019, Burna Boy was announced alongside Mr Eazi as one of the artists performing at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[45] He won four awards at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, including African Artiste of the Year, Listener's Choice, and Best Male MVP.[46] On 21 March 2019, Burna Boy released a 4-track collaborative EP with Los Angeles-based electronic duo DJDS, titled Steel & Copper.[47] The EP blends Burna Boy's upbeat melodies with DJDS' slinky trap beats.[48][49] Steel & Copper combines elements of dancehall and reggae music with Afropop and trap.[48][49]
On 24 June 2019, Burna Boy won Best International Act at the 2019 BET Awards.[50] In July 2019, he was announced as an Apple Music Up Next artist.[51] His inclusion in the program was accompanied by a Beats 1 interview with Julie Adenuga and a short documentary.[52] He recorded "Ja Ara E" (Yoruba: "wise up" or "use your head") for Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift and was the only guest artist with their own track on the soundtrack album.[53][54]
Burna Boy's fourth studio album, African Giant, was released on 26 July 2019. It was supported by six singles: "Gbona", "On the Low", Killin Dem", "Dangote", "Anybody" and "Pull Up". He began recording the album in 2018 and told Billboard that it was his most personal project yet.[55] He first revealed plans to release it in April 2019 and held a private listening session in Los Angeles.[56] Photos and videos from the listening session were shared on social media. African Giant was initially announced as a 16-track album.[56] To promote the album, Burna Boy headlined the African Giant Returns tour, the second leg of his African Giant tour.[57] Burna Boy recorded "My Money, My Baby", a track that appeared on Queen & Slim's soundtrack album.[58] Described as an "Afrobeat-tinged track", "My Money, My Baby" contains a sample of Fela Kuti's 1972 song "Shakara".[58] On 22 November 2019, Burna Boy was featured alongside English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on British rapper Stormzy's single, "Own It", the fourth single from his second studio album, Heavy Is the Head.[59] In November 2019, he became the first Afrobeat artist to sell out the SSE Arena and was given a special plaque to mark his achievement.[60]
2020–2022: Twice as Tall and Love, Damini
[edit]In April 2020, Burna Boy performed in the One World: Together at Home special.[61] On 19 June 2020, he was featured on the remix of South African producer Master KG's viral song "Jerusalema".[62] Burna Boy used his signature afrobeat's style on the song[63] and also partly sings in the isiZulu language.[62] On 30 July 2020, Burna Boy was featured on British singer Sam Smith's single, "My Oasis", the lead single from their third studio album, Love Goes.[64] His fifth studio album, Twice as Tall, was released on 14 August 2020. It was executive produced by Diddy and his mother, Bose Ogulu.[65][66] The album became his highest-charting project, debuting at number one on the Billboard World Albums Chart. On 24 November 2020, Twice as Tall was nominated for Best Global Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. It was the second consecutive year that Burna Boy received a nomination in this category.[67] He won an Edison Award in the World Album category for African Giant, and won Best International Act at the MOBO Awards on December 9, shaking off competition from Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and Roddy Ricch.[68] At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards held on 15 March 2021, he won the Grammy award for Best Global Music album. Burna Boy's song "Destiny" was included in the playlist at the inauguration of Joe Biden.[69] He won Best International Act at the 2021 BET Awards, becoming the first African artist to win the award three consecutive times.[70]
On 19 March 2021, Burna Boy was featured on Canadian singer Justin Bieber's song "Loved by You", a track from his sixth studio album, Justice.[71] On 17 September 2021, he was featured on American singer-songwriter Jon Bellion's single "I Feel It", which marked the first musical collaboration between the two, but the latter co-wrote "Loved by You" with Justin Bieber.[72] On 4 June 2022, Burna Boy performed at the Belgravia Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he allegedly refused money to wear a ZANU-PF scarf as an endorsement of the Mnangagwa administration.[73]
In 2022, he was named the "Best Solo Act in the World" by NME.[74]
Burna Boy released his sixth studio album, Love, Damini, on July 8, 2022. Its release was preceded by the singles "Kilometre" and "Last Last".[75]
Burna Boy held his first concert in Jamaica on 18 December 2022, at the Jamaica National Stadium.[76]
2023–present: I Told Them…
[edit]In April 2023, Burna Boy released a song titled "Mera Na" featuring Sidhu Moose Wala, In which he gave tribute to Sidhu. "Mera Na" charted on various international charts including Billboard Global 200, Canada Hot 100, and New Zealand Hot Singles chart.[77] In June, he released the single "Sittin On Top Of The World", which heavily samples American singer Brandy's 1998 hit single "Top of the World".[78][79][80][81]
On 10 June 2023, Burna Boy became the first artist from Africa to perform at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi. The singer took the stage at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, in front of more than 71,412 supporters and an audience of over 700 million people.[82][83] In July, he became the first African artist to headline and sell out a stadium show in the United States, headlining at Citi Field in New York.[84] He was named by Billboard as the top Afrobeat artist of the year 2023.[85] At the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, Burna was awarded the inaugural best Afrobeats award becoming the first African artist to win a BBMA as lead artist alongside Rema who won best afrobeat song that night.[86] In November he was nominated for four Grammy awards, making him the most nominated Nigerian artist in Grammy history with ten total career nominations and the first Nigerian to have nominations in five consecutive years, from 2019 to 2023.[87] He was named as 2023 most streamed Sub-saharan African artists globally on Spotify, making it his second year in a row.[88] While congratulating African artists for their Grammy nominations, The Recording Academy described Burna Boy as the biggest artist in Africa.[89] The Nation named him the entertainer of the year for having an unrivaled and outstanding year.[90]
"Sittin' on Top of the World" received a nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.[91] Burna Boy performed the song at the ceremony on 4 February 2024, alongside Brandy and 21 Savage.[92][93][94]
In November 2024, his popular song "Higher" was nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, which will be held in February 2025 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. [95] He has been nominated for the award six times throughout his career.
Personal life
[edit]Burna Boy dated British rapper Stefflon Don from 2018 [96] to 2022.[97]
Artistry
[edit]Burna Boy's music is primarily a mixture of Afrobeats, hip hop, reggae, and R&B.[98] His music, which he refers to as "Afro-fusion", is a combination of Afrobeat, dancehall, hip-hop, pop, R&B, and reggae.[53][99][100] August Brown of the Los Angeles Times describes Burna Boy's sound as "savvy and modern but undistracted by obvious crossover moves".[101] Kittitian dancehall artist Byron Messia described him as an incredibly talented lyricist who does not write down lyrics or waste time in the studio to create a song.[102] In an interview with The Punch, Burna Boy shared how he gets inspiration: "I get into the booth and lay down the melody and the music just comes to me. honestly, I can't really explain it—the inspiration and ideas just flow through me spiritually when I'm in the studio."[103] He has earned local acclaim from fans and critics for the lyrical content of his songs, which stand out in the Afrobeats landscape, where songs are usually optimised for danceability at the expense of penmanship. He has also discussed political topics in his music, such as on the African Giant track "Another Story".[104] Nigerian singer Omah Lay claimed Burna Boy is the best songwriter he has ever seen and an inspiration when it comes to the art of writing.[105]
He is known for his vocal texture, as well as his baritone voice, singing in a blend of English, Yoruba, and Nigerian Pidgin.[106]
Rolling Stone listed Burna Boy among the 200 greatest singers of all time.[107]
Legacy
[edit]Burna Boy's success has led some to opine that he has cultivated a profile of a leading figure in Afrobeats.[108] Talent manager Kim Moore told CNN that "Burna Boy's (Grammy) win will inspire other African artistes to create projects that appeal to global audiences."[109] BBC radio presenter Darren Joseph described him as "an icon among a generation".[110]
"Burna Boy has not diluted his African heritage to reach his global audience, Instead he has placed an unmistakably African stamp on music drawn from all around Africa. A voice that exemplifies the West African cultural virtue of coolness, poise and control."
Rolling Stone described him as a Nigerian cultural giant, who has become the ambassador of Afrobeats as a global movement, that can feel equally at home by climbing the European charts and maintaining a subtle emotional connection with past African genres like highlife."[112] Lloyd Bradley of The Guardian opined that Twice As Tall positions African music in the 21st century by using contemporary sounds for traditional melodies and rhythms.[113] In 2021, Pitchfork named him one of the most important artists of their first 25 years.[114]
BOF named him as one of the people shaping the global fashion industry 2023.[115] Lawrence Burney of Vulture has argued that Burna Boy's stylistic presentation and convincing interpretation of hip hop and dancehall won him more credibility and commercial success in the U.S. than his Naija contemporaries such as Davido and Wizkid received."[116] African artist Angélique Kidjo dedicated her Grammy win to Burna Boy, for changing the global perception of Africa and its music.[117] Aniefiok Ekpoudom of The Guardian said "Burna Boy is on a mission to remind Africans everywhere about their roots in the continent, and Afrobeats is his tool".[118]
Controversies
[edit]On 8 June 2022, Burna Boy's armed security escorts allegedly shot and wounded two people at a nightclub in Lagos. According to the wife of one of the victims, the incident began after she declined Burna Boy's invitation to join him in the VIP section.[119][120] Five security guards affiliated with Burna Boy were arrested and charged with attempted murder.[121] The victim later accused the singer and his family of trying to silence her family with hush money.[122] As of 20 June 2022, CCTV footage of the shooting had not been released by the club.[123] On 1 January 2023, during the Lagos leg of his Love, Damini tour, a visibly upset Burna Boy denied the nightclub shooting rumour and rumours about his mother being a former backup dancer for Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.[124][75]
Activism
[edit]Burna Boy’s guiding philosophy is Pan-Africanism, as he firmly believes in rebuilding bridges with the African Diaspora, believing Africa as the Mother Continent and birthplace of humankind.[125] He has been a vocal advocate for social justice across the world,[126] Burna Boy's music is not just entertainment, it is a call to action as he uses his platform to speak truth to power and shine a light on issues affecting people in Nigeria and around the world.[127] In his fourth studio album African Giant, he probes Nigeria’s turbulent history by breaking down the narratives that have surrounded it since it gained independence.[128] Songs like “Another Story” condemn the negative impact of the Royal Niger Company in imposing colonial rule on Nigeria, “Collateral Damage” criticises the cowardice of Nigerians in not confronting their oppressors while “Wetin Man Go Do” laments the suffering of the masses.[129] BBC radio presenter DJ Target said, "He represents change, and speaks out against injustice while representing young Africa and making worldwide hits.[130]
Following the 2019 Johannesburg riots in South Africa that targeted Africans living in the country, he vowed not to visit South Africa again if the government did not take necessary action to address the issue.[131] In 2020, he set up a relief fund for victims of #EndSARS anti-police brutality protests.[132] Estelle Uba of The Republic said Burna Boy’s powerful lyrics force not just Nigerians, but citizens from countries with a past of colonial subjugation in the Global South Africa, Asia, and South America to reckon with, and confront the reality of the neo-colonialism in their countries.[133] Through his single 20-10-20, released in solidarity to the 2020 Lekki shooting, he gave an active voice against the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters, bad governance, corruption, and police brutality in Nigeria.[134][135]
Awards and nominations
[edit]Discography
[edit]- Studio albums
- L.I.F.E (2013)
- On a Spaceship (2015)
- Outside (2018)
- African Giant (2019)
- Twice as Tall (2020)
- Love, Damini (2022)
- I Told Them... (2023)
- No Sign of Weakness (2025)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Ibile, Fagbo (3 October 2021). "Burna Boy's Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ a b "The 'African Giant' Challenging Musical Boundaries". The Atlantic. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ a b Alake, Olumide (12 October 2022). "More wins: Burna Boy's dad receives MFR award on son's behalf, 2Baba bags MON". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Africa's biggest music stars". CNN. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "Burna Boy leads Billboard top 15 Sub-Saharan Artists". m.guardian.ng. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ Duerden, Nick (19 July 2019). "How Burna Boy Became Nigeria's Surprise Success Story". Billboard. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
- ^ "2Baba Burna Boy and Others Win at AFRIMA 2019". ChannelsTV. 24 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
- ^ Durosomo, Damolo (20 November 2019). "Burna Boy, Angelique Kidjo, Trevor Noah & More Earn 2020 Grammy Nominations". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 21 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- ^ "GRAMMY.com". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Grammys 2021: Burna Boy win at music awards". BBC News. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "5 Records Burna Boy Set with His Album 'Love Damini' Worldwide". 28 July 2022.
- ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "BET Awards 2023: Burna Boy Wins Best International Act". BET. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Headies 2023: Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, win big in US [Full winners list]". Daily Trust. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy makes Spotify history with record-breaking albums | Pulse Nigeria". www.pulse.ng. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Hahn, Rachel (27 February 2018). "Nigerian Singer Burna Boy on His Patchwork Approach to Style". Vogue. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ a b c Ducreay, Safra (4 April 2018). "Burna Boy, Afrofusion Superhero". SSense. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Shah, Neil (4 November 2019). "A Nigerian Pop Star Finds Success in the U.S., On His Own Terms". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ Ogunnaike, Lola (4 March 2020). "Burna Boy Is Trying to Wake Up Africa". GQ. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Giorgis, Hannah (26 July 2019). "The 'African Giant' Challenging Musical Boundaries". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy Drops New Single "Yawa Dey"". Channels TV. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Nigeria : Information by country or region : ... : Study with us : University of Sussex". sussex.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ a b c "Burna Boy | Universal Music publishing Group". Universal Music publishing Group UK. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Burna Boy Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
- ^ Abulude, Samuel (6 September 2013). "Nigeria: Burna Boy Sells Debut Album Rights for N10 Million". allAfrica.com. allAfrica via Leadership Nigeria. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
- ^ Iwar, Sute (23 August 2013). "Burna Boy's Album Debut 'L.I.F.E'". Okayafrica.com. OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
- ^ Alonge, Osagie (29 December 2013). "12 best albums of 2013 – The definitive list from Nigerian Entertainment Today". thenet.ng. Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
- ^ "Burna Boy tops billboard reggae album chart with 'Outside'". Vanguard. 10 February 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Burnaboy leaves Aristokrat Records". TheCable. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Arogundade, Funsho (27 February 2015). "Burna Boy Floats SpaceShip Entertainment". P.M News. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Burna Boy Releases 'On a Spaceship' Album". SilverbirdTV. 26 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ "Listen To Burna Boy's New EP Redemption". The FADER. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy drops 7-track EP 'Redemption'". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 23 September 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Orubo, Daniel (19 January 2018). "Listen To Burna Boy Kill It On Fall Out Boy's 'Sunshine Riptide'". Konbini Nigeria. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Ohunyon, Ehis (12 December 2018). "Pulse List 2018: Top 10 Nigerian albums". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
- ^ Atayero, Adeoluwa (7 December 2018). "Ranking The 10 Best Albums Of 2018". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 12 December 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
- ^ Ohunyon, Ehis (19 November 2019). "Davido, Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy win at 2018 Nigerian Entertainment Awards [See full list". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ Praise, Billy (7 February 2018). "Burna Boy's "Outside" Album Debuts On Billboard's Reggae Chart". Guardian Life. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Pulse List 2018: Here is the hottest Nigerian song of the year". pulse.ng. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Isama, Antoinette (11 January 2019). "The Best Nigerian Songs of 2018". Okay Africa. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019.
- ^ Durosomo, Damola (8 October 2018). "Burna Boy Took Over London's O2 Academy With a Massive, Sold-Out Show". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ Abubakar, Murtala (7 October 2018). "Burna Boy unveils 'Space Puffs' cereal at London pop-up event". The Cable Lifestyle. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ Ukiwe, Urenna (9 October 2018). "Burna Boy Has Been Listed As One Of Spotify's New Afro Hub Takeover Artist". Guardian Life. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ Ukiwe, Urenna (23 October 2018). "Burna Boy Lights Up Times Square As YouTube's Artist Of The Month". guardian.ng. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ adekunle (3 January 2019). "Burna Boy, Mr Eazi to make Coachella debut". Vanguard News Nigeria. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ adekunle (6 January 2019). "Soundcity MVP: Burna Boy wins African Artist of the Year". Vanguard News Nigeria. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (21 March 2019). "DJDS and Burna Boy Release New Steel & Copper EP: Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ a b Abimbolu, Debola (22 March 2019). "Essentials: Burna Boy and DJDS's 'Steel and Copper'". Native. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ a b Ohunyon, Ehis (25 March 2019). "Burna Boy's Steel and Copper with DJDS is his most experimental project yet". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Burna Boy wins Best International Act at 2019 BET awards". Oak Tv. 24 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy na Apple Music Up Next Artist". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ Tambini, Kam (9 July 2019). "Burna Boy Is Apple Music's New 'Up Next' Artist". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ a b Gary Gerard Hamilton (22 August 2019). "Afrobeat pioneer Burna Boy, to play House of Blues, making a name for himself in the U.S." Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Isama, Antoinette (30 November 2019). "The Crossover: How Burna Boy's Grammy Nod Proves The Power of Consistency". Vibe. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Duerden, Nick (19 July 2019). "How Burna Boy Became Nigeria's Surprise Success Story". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ a b Okonofua, Odion (17 April 2019). "Pulse Exclusive: Burna Boy set to drop new album 'African Giant'". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy Announces 'The African Giant Returns Tour'". OkayAfrica. 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ a b Durosomo, Damola (15 November 2019). "Burna Boy Samples Fela's 'Shakara' on New Track, 'My Money, My Baby' From 'Queen & Slim' Soundtrack". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (22 November 2019). "Stormzy Teams up With Ed Sheeran (Again) on 'Own It': Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy first afrobeat star to sell out at Wembley Arena – P.M. News". 3 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Ginsberg, Gab. "Burna Boy Highlights Pandemic Relief Efforts During 'One World' Concert: Watch". Billboard.
- ^ a b Mavuso, Karabo (29 June 2020). "Master KG's Jerusalem gets 30 million views on YouTube!". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ Samanga, Rufaro (19 June 2020). "Listen to Master KG and Nomcebo's 'Jerusalema' Remix Featuring Burna Boy". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Burna Boy Featured In Sam Smith's New Single 'My Oasis'". 29 July 2020. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (5 August 2020). "Burna Boy Has the Whole World Listening". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ Moorwood, Victoria (11 August 2020). "Burna Boy shares tracklist for Diddy-executive produced 'Twice As Tall'". Revolt. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Burna Boy". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "MOOBOs 2020: Full winners list, highlights performance from awards". Metro. UK. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ Augoye, Jayne (20 January 2021). "Nigeria: Burna Boy's Song Makes Joe Biden, Kamala Harris' Inauguration Playlist". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "BET Awards 2021 Rewind: We Salute The International Artists Of The Year". BET. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ Music News. "Listen to Burna Boy's Feature On Justin Bieber's 'Loved By You'". Okay Africa. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ Bamidele, Michael (18 September 2021). "Stream: Jon Bellion Features Burna Boy on New Song "I Feel It"". guardian.ng. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Burna Boy refused Zanu PF offers of money to wear scarf". 4 June 2022.
- ^ "BandLab NME Awards 2022: Winners". NME. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Burna Boy debunks rumours about his mother being one of Fela's dancers". The News Guru. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ Masters, Diwani (17 November 2022). "'African Giant' Burna Boy to perform in Jamaica". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ Tagat, Anurag (7 April 2023). "Sidhu Moose Wala's Posthumous Song 'Mera Na' with Burna Boy and Steel Banglez Sees His Legend Grow". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy - Sitting' On Top Of The World". Spotify. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ Hussey, Allison (1 June 2023). "Burna Boy Shares New Song "Sittin' on Top of the World": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ Mamo, Heran (1 June 2023). "Burna Boy Is 'Sittin' on Top of the World' in New Song & Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ Helfand, Raphael (1 June 2023). "Hear Burna Boy's celebratory new song "Sittin On Top Of The World"". Fader. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy to perform at the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi". UEFA. 16 March 2023. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "Anitta to co-headline 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi® with Burna Boy". UEFA.com. 24 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy Takes Citi Field". Rolling Stone. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy Tops Year-End U.S. Afrobeats Artists Chart, Rema & Selena Gomez's 'Calm Down' Nabs Top Song". Billboard. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Full List: Burna Boy, Rema win inaugural Billboard Afrobeats awards". Vanguard ngr. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "66th Grammys: Burna Boy, Olamide set new records". Daily Post Ng. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy most streamed artist in Sub-Saharan Africa- Spotify Wrapped 2023". Daily Post Ng. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "No bigger star in Afrobeats than Burna Boy Grammy organisers". Vanguard Ng. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: Entertainer of the year". The Nation. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ Duran, Anagricel (5 February 2024). "Watch Burna Boy perform with Brandy and 21 Savage at Grammys 2024". NME. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ Hiatt, Brian (1 February 2024). "21 Savage and Brandy Will Join Burna Boy for Historic Grammys Performance". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ "Burna Boy to perform at 2024 Grammys, CBS announces". Punch ng. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Berry, Blogger (8 November 2024). "FULL LIST: The 2025 Grammy Awards Nominees Are Out Featuring Wizkid, Burna boy & Davido". HipHopTunez. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "Stefflon Don: 'I'm never scared to try things'". The Guardian. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "Why I Broke Up With Burna Boy, Stefflon Don Shares Side Of Story". Independent Newspaper Nigeria. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ Kenan Draughorne (16 August 2023). "Pan-Africanism, family and the Wu: The gospel of Burna Boy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ Njera Perkins (11 March 2024). "2024 NAACP Image Awards: 5 Tracks that Showcase Burna Boy's Unique Sound". BET. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ Adedayo Laketu (28 August 2023). "6 Takeaways From Burna Boy's New Album, 'I Told Them...'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ Brown, August (30 August 2019). "Review: Burna Boy celebrates L.A.'s African diaspora at star-making Wiltern show". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Burna Boy incredibly talented, doesn't write songs--Byron Messia". Daily post. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "I'm not a modern-day artiste – BurnaBoy". The Punch. 20 September 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy's 'Artivism'". The Republic. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ ""I Don't See Anybody Else Aside Burna Boy": Omah Lay Names His Best Songwriter in Viral Video". Legit. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy's Global Vision: Taking Afro-Fusion to the Next Level". Billboard. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Lechner, Ernesto (1 January 2023). "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ "Burna Boy to headline world's biggest Afrobeats festival, Afro Nation". Vanguard Ng. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Why Burna Boy's Grammy Award is a 'big win for Africa' and its music stars". CNN. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: The story of a true music industry revolutionary". Music Week. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy Has the Whole World Listening". The New York Times. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: Twice as Tall review – fun and fury from Nigerian pop polymath". The Guardian. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "The 200 Most Important Artists of Pitchfork first 25 Years". Pitchfork. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy and 4 other Nigerians shaping the global fashion industry - BOF". Pulse ng. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ Burney, Lawrence (31 August 2023). "Burna Boy Sounds Creatively Exhausted". Vulture. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "'This Is For Burna Boy,' Angelique Kidjo Dedicates Grammy Award". Channels tv. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy review – all hail the graceful king of Afrobeats". The Guardian. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy's police escorts shoot married man after singer made pass at wife". Punch Newspapers. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Burna Boy: Cubana Club shooting victim's partner narrates ordeal – Premium Times Nigeria". 20 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Burna Boy's Police Escorts Detained For Shooting Civilians". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 12 June 2022. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Club shooting: Victim's wife accuses Burna Boy's people of bribing family". Vanguard News. 21 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Club shooting: Victim demands CCTV footage after eyewitness said she approached Burna Boy for selfie". Vanguard News. 20 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Singer Burna Boy finally addresses Cubana club shooting, lays curses on haters (Video)". Kemi Filani News. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: The Afropolitan troubadour". Guardian ng. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: Rise of the African Superstar". Rollingstone UK. 13 August 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "5 reasons Burna Boy is the African Giant of music". Pulse ng. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna boy blends the personal and political into a new benchmark of Afro-fusion music". Pitchfork. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: The Afropolitan troubadour". Guardian ng. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy: The story of a true music industry revolutionary". Music Week. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Stars boycott South Africa over xenophobic attacks". BBC. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "#ENDSARS: Burna Boy sets up relief fund for victims of police brutality". Premium Times. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Burna Boy's Artivism'". Republic. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "#EndSARS: Burna Boy dedicates new single '20 10 20′ to victims". Vanguard. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ "BURNA BOY IMMORTALISES ENDSARS PROTEST VICTIMS IN NEW SONG". Guardian ng. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2023.