Nigeria: Burna Boy, an artist at the top of afropop

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Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

Ten days after its release, the album Twice as Tall by Nigerian Burna Boy ranks number 1 for Apple Music downloads in 48 countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, or Niger, but also France and the United 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 global success which makes him today the heir of Fela Kuti.

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From our correspondent in Lagos, Liza Fabbian

On the Obalende market, a loudspeaker spits out the rhythms of Afrobeat. 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 calm me down in my head because he is telling the truth. We all love it, the street loves Burna Boy!  "

Fela Kuti, the inspiration of 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 American Grammy Award winning artists and rapper Puff Daddy has said Twice as tall will be the album of the year. Burna Boy tells the world that Africa exists and that we are here to take what is due to us  ”.

By making Fela his inspiration and claimed master, Burna Boy has injected a militant hue into his compositions. This political color appeals to Nigerians as well as to international critics.

“  He has always been associated with Fela Kuti, because he has incorporated extracts from his songs into his own music. Burna Boy's grandfather was also Fela's first manager. And it turns out that Western critics have been waiting for years for an heir to Fela,  ”according to journalist Oris Aigbokhaevbolo.

Not only “  interested in women and partying  ”, Burna Boy also portrays the black experience in several tracks from his new album Twice as Tall .

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