Ten days after its release, Nigerian Burna Boy’s album Twice as Tall ranks number 1 in Apple Music downloads in 48 countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, and Niger, but also France and the Kingdom -United. After his remarkable collaboration with Beyoncé Lion King and Black is King, Burna Boy joined forces on Twice As Tall with the British rapper Stormzy or with Chris Martin, the singer of the group Coldplay. A planetary success which today makes him the heir of Fela Kuti.
On the Obalende market, a loudspeaker crackles Afrobeat rhythms. But today Nigerian music has found a new icon: Burna Boy, whose latest album Abdul has already downloaded. “Burna Boy is an African giant. He has so many fans. He helps me calm down in my head, because he speaks the truth. We all love it, the street loves Burna Boy! »
Fela Kuti, the inspiration for Burna Boy
Artists like Wizkid or Davido had already paved the way. But the Burna Boy phenomenon is on a whole different scale, according to Sondy. “Thanks to him, Nigerian pop has gone viral. He has collaborated with several Grammy-winning American artists and rapper Puff Daddy has said Twice as tall will be the album of the year. Burna Boy is telling the world that Africa exists and we are here to take what is rightfully ours.”
By making Fela his inspiration and his claimed master, Burna Boy infused a militant tinge into his compositions. This political color pleases both Nigerians and international critics. “He has always been associated with Fela Kuti, because he incorporated excerpts from his songs into his own music. Burna Boy’s grandfather was Fela’s first manager. And it turns out that Western critics have been waiting for years for a Fela heir,” according to journalist Oris Aigbokhaevbolo. Not just « interested in women and partying, » Burna Boy also portrays the black experience in several tracks on his new album Twice as Tall.