Africa Entertainment News of Wednesday, 7 April 2021
Source: mynigeria.com
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu known professionally as Burna Boy became the first Nigerian to clinch the prestigious Grammy Awards. His win on Sunday, March 14, 2021, was expected as he was highly tipped to clinch the award last year with his album, African Giant.
The accolade, however, was given to another deserved winner, veteran Beninese singer, Angelique Kidjo who before 2020 had won the award on several occasions - 3 wins and 9 nominations. In support of Burna Boy's effort in 2019/2020, she dedicated the award to Burna Boy. During her acceptance speech, she regarded him as one of "those young artists that come from Africa that is changing the way our continent is perceived and the way that African music is the bedrock of all music."
That hunger pushed Burna Boy to work harder. Despite the pandemic and Nigeria's none existing music structure, his collaboration with international producers, especially with Diddy, one of the industry's best rappers and producers on his "Twice as Tall", broke the camels back.
The album was a fusion of other music elements including jazz, reggae, rock, and country music. It was an Afro pizza like he rightly said in a 2019 interview with American-based South African comedian, Trevor Noah.
Burma Boy's victory on the Grammy night showed three traits about Nigerian music and the industry.
First, it showed Nigerians have successfully exported Afrobeats to the world. Secondly, it showed how big the music industry has grown over the past years. Lastly, the extent to which a Nigerian musician can go irrespective of the limitations placed on them by the country's broken system.
Before now, the hierarchical arrangement of Nigeria's biggest music export was Davido and Wizkid before Burna Boy and the others. With this win, it's either Burna Boy has slightly outpaced his closest rivals, Davido or Wizkid or they now rest on the same level.
"This is for Burna Boy"
— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) January 27, 2020
Winner Angelique Kidjo dedicates Best World Music Album #Grammys to Burna Boy ????????????????#GRAMMYLive #Benin #Nigeria pic.twitter.com/MZNjYsZjvv