This is a highlight for any African-based musician who has charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
The Billboard Hot 100 is widely recognized as the most reliable and consistent music chart in the world, and recording an entry, whether through original work or contributions, is a major accomplishment for African musicians.
The Billboard Hot 100 is a weekly record chart produced by Billboard magazine that ranks songs based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and internet streaming in the United States, according to Wikipedia.
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African artists to record an entry either by original work or by contributions.
Miriam Makeba
Zenzile Miriam Makeba nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil rights, activist.
Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and the white-minority government in South Africa.
Mariam Makeba scored her first entry in 1967 with her song titled ‘Pata Pata’ it peaked 12 and spent 11 weeks, her second entry was in 1968 with her song titled ‘Malayisha’ peaked 85 and spent 3 weeks on the chart. she’s the first African artistes to chart on Hot 100.
Youssou N’Dour
Youssou Ndour is a Grammy award-winning Senegalese singer, songwriter, and composer, according to Rolling Stone magazine in 2004, he is “perhaps the most famous singer alive” in Senegal and a considerable part of Africa.
Youssou Ndour scored an entry in 1994 with his song titled ‘7 seconds’ with an assist from a Swedish singer, songwriter, and rapper Neneh Cherry, the song peaked at 98 and spent 4 weeks on the chart.
Wizkid
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as Wizkid rose to prominence in 2010 and attained global recognition in 2015.
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Wizkid made his first entry in 2016, with collaborative work in Drake‘s ‘One Dance’ it peaked at number #1 and spent 36 weeks on the chart.
Wizkid made his second entry in 2019 with Brown Skin Girl, a song he co-owns with Beyonce, Saint Jhn featuring Blue Ivy, it peaked at number #76 and spent 1 week on the chart,
Wizkid made his first entry with his original song titled ‘Essence’ in 2021, debuted at 82, spending its first week at the time of this post
Burna Boy
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, rose to prominence in 2012 after his single “Like to Party”
Burna Boy scores his first-ever Billboard Hot 100 entry in 2021 with a Justin Bieber song ‘Loved By You’ featuring Burna Boy, it peaked at number #87 and spent 1 week on the chart,
Tems
Temilade Openiyi better known as Tems, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer,
Tems collaboration with Wizkid on the song titled ‘Essence’ earned her first career entry on the chart, becoming the first female artist in Nigeria to debut on the chart.
Wizkid made his first entry with his original song titled ‘Essence’ in 2021, debuted at 82, spending its first week at the time of this post
Black Coffee
Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo popularly Black Coffee, is a South African DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter.
Black Coffee made an entry in 2017 with Drake features, peaked at 45, and spent 2 weeks.
African artists with an entry on US Billboard Hot 100
- Miriam Makeba – 2 Entry
- Youssou N’dour – 1 Entry
- Wizkid – 2 Entries
- Burna Boy – 1 Entry
- Black Coffee – 1 Entry
- Tems – 1 Entry