Burna Boy earned his first Grammy in 2021, winning the Best Global Music Album award for his album – Twice As Tall. He had a pre-recorded performance broadcast as a part of the Grammy pre-show. The pre-show was partially filmed in front of Nigeria’s National Theatre in Lagos. However, in 2024, he performed live at the main event. He made history as the first Afrobeats musician to perform during the primetime televised ceremony of the Grammy Awards. This is an extraordinary feat that can be likened to the World Cup final for soccer stars or a grand slam final win for tennis players. He opened his performance with an African themed opening that was a beauty to behold, performing a medley of his hits climaxing with his song “Sittin’ on Top of The World featuring by R&B legend Brandy and rapper 21 Savage.”
What Burna Boys has achieved in the last 3 years can be said to be legendary in the context that other African artists who have won the Grammys have not been so honoured to perform live on Music’s biggest stage. Other Afrobeats greats like Wizkid, Davido, Diamond Platnumz and Shatta Wale at this point can only dream to match the accolades that Burna Boy has amassed in the last 3 years. From selling out a 80,000 capacity London stadium to other sold out concerts in major European cities, Burna Boy is on a roll.
Last summer, he became the first Nigerian artist to headline a U.S. stadium when he performed at New York City’s Citi Field, which houses 40,000 seats. A year earlier, he was the first Nigerian act to headline Madison Square Garden. He was a special guest on the opening night of Dave Chappelle’s It’s a Celebration B!%?#&$! Tour at Madison Square Garden, where Chappelle was seen backstage learning the signature dance to Burna Boy’s anthemic “City Boys.”
Presently, no contemporary Nigerian or African musician is operating at Burna Boys level. Fans of other artists might think otherwise, but their stars are still wishing to win the awards and headline the venues that he has already conquered. These achievements often make a lot of celebrities ungovernable, where it becomes difficult for them to conquer new heights. Burna Boy must not fall into the trap of eyeing the title of Greatest Africa Act. He can become more than that because of his musical range and versatility. He has proven to the world he can sing, dance, rap and give electrifying live performances that few musicians globally can equal. I wish him the best with the message that there is always room for improvement and that the Grammy Award and the venues he has headlined can be the beginning to a future filled with more accolades for himself and Afrobeats.
Ata Tim Ukuta, Editor – Towncryyers