This is how Burna Boy’s Grammy win paves the path for other Nigerian artistes
Believe it or not, Burna Boy triumph won at the 63rd ceremony of the Grammy Awards, with his album Twice as Tall on the Best Global Music Album opened door to other Nigerian artistes and help introduce new listeners to Afrobeat.
However, it is his first GRAMMY win in his career, Burna Boy was the first winner of the newly renamed Best World category, which was previously known as Best World.
Also, many people associate Afrobeat with the audacious, flaming, talented multi-instrumentalist and founder of the genre, Fela Kuti.
The Grammy Award is a household name in the United States, It was made to honour American music, not to please the entire globe.
While the category of ‘Best World Music Album’ may be exclusive and make the Grammys appear snobbish, it has also served a purpose that centres on the global music community.
African performers are dissatisfied with the elitism of the Grammy Awards.
The argument for altering the name of the award to “Best World Music Album” is that the word “world” implies that America is not only apart from the rest of the world, but also superior to it.
Burna Boy signed with Bad Habit/Atlantic Records, where it all started in 2017, on this notation, we’ll highlight the records that edge him towards the threshold of the biggest afrobeat artiste of this generation.
Burna Boy released his fourth studio album titled African Giant on July 26, 2019, by Atlantic Records, Warner Music and Spaceship Entertainment.
The album features guest appearances from Damian Marley, Jeremih, Jorja Smith, Future, Zlatan Ibile, and others.
The 19-tracks project was championed by 8 singles, including ‘On the Low’, Killing Dem, and ‘Gbona’ amongst others, he performed “Anybody‘ at Jimmy Kimmel Live! an American late-night talk show.
One year later, he released his fifth studio album titled ‘Twice as Tall‘, a combination of Afrobeats, Afrobeat, dancehall, pop and hip hop, which enlisted guest appearances from Youssou N’Dour, Naughty by Nature, Sauti Sol, Stormzy and Chris Martin.
Executive produced by an American singer and songwriter Diddy and Bose Ogulu (Mama Burna)
Burna Boy earned another Grammy nomination with twice as tall making him the first Nigerian with back-to-back nominations at the Grammys.
Burna Boy who is the first Nigerian artiste to earn back to back Grammy nominations will also be the first-ever afrobeat act in history to perform at the event.