Burna Boy is just magical. Isn’t that why we all love him? Last year, he went from the artist who lost Next Rated in 2014, to Artist of the Year. And to show that he’s not a fluke, he did it back-to-back.
2011 – 2017 were pretty much Wizkid and Davido years, all the way. As both of them rose, from Revelation of the Year to Next Rated, up and up until, they literally started winning all the awards. If it wasn’t Starboy, then it was David. The only artist who was up in their rank was Olamide, who himself has emerged on the scene at the same time as Wiz. The three of them were formidable. Really, they still are.
Something magical happened, though. Burna came with the smoke and people started paying attention. At the time, he was known as a dancehall/reggae artist and was often pitched together with Patoranking. But with Wizkid going international Afrobeats needed a new face. And Burna Boy just happened to be right on time.
Before then, he’s dropped two albums under Aristokrat. They were mildly successful, for an artist of his status, but still, nothing compared to the classics Wizkid have wielded. So, “Outside” the next album’s gotta be the thing. The magic. It was!
Within a short time, Burna Boy who was only relatively known as a dancehall star became a household name. As he transitioned into the hottest Afrobeats star, on the planet. His song “Ye” instantly shot him up, beyond imaginations and songs like “Heaven’s Gate” with Lily Allen, we’re there to increase his credibility. The reception afterward was massive.
With that, he conquered 2018 and won all the relevant awards. But as you all know, winning an award is important, but being able to sustain your relevance after winning, is importanter. Burna could either be a one-time star, a one-season wonder. Or he could turn out to be a Legend.
“Killin Dem” with Zlatan Ibile, killed it first. “Dangote” followed, and “Anybody” and “Pull Up.” That’s not all. Not even close. “African Giant”, a 19-track star-studded album hit us like an epiphany. Thing is, any award Burna Boy gets nominated for, in 2019, it doesn’t matter who else is on the list, he’s gotta win. Because he’s done it all.
What’s even amazing is, he didn’t just take over once. No, he did it twice. He could go and win it next year again, and really, that will be history. But now, the story is of a guy who took the baton from Wizkid and ran with it for two years, in a row, dominating the entire African industry. The next generation will write songs about him!