‘Oluwa Burna o’: you can’t hear Burna Boy’s voice and not react in one way or the other, he is the African Giant after all. His latest album titled African Giant is currently taking music lovers all over the globe on a ride they never knew they needed. ‘Ja ara e,’ a track Burna Boy composed on the historic Queen Bey’s Lion King: The Gift album wasn’t done introducing him to the International scene before this pulsating album dropped on their laps, commanding their full attention.
Long-time fans of Burna Boy have always been aware of and respected his dexterous talent but to many ‘Ye’ and ‘Gbona’ converts, the mega star’s fast-rising success is surprising. Nevertheless, he is here to stay and these few reasons highlighted below are why Burna Boy will remain on top for a long time:
His Sound Is Unique And Consistent
Although Burna Boy has been releasing songs back to the back of late—all of which are doing well in the music market, his sound remains defined, unique and consistent. In his songs, you hear a blend of Afropop and hip hop. And he stays consistent to those sounds. Even as the album, African Giant, seems to be about breaking into the international music scene, you still hear the Afropop sound that Burna Boy has always been known for.
An Average Nigerian Can Connect To His Lyrics
‘Them no de tell person, you go learn your own lesson,’—nothing teaches better than experience, the saying goes. Parents can only do so much to steer their children in the right path and when they keep proving stubborn, what more can a typical Nigerian parent say to their children than ‘your body go rest o (meaning that you will retrace your steps once you experience the consequence of what you’ve always been warned against)’ This is a sum-up of Burna Boy’s Ja Are E chorus. Even an illiterate Nigerian can relate to every line of that song
Same goes for tracks like Dangote (resonating lyrics that uses Nigerian Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa, as a motivating prop to ginger Nigerians to work hard) and ‘Ye’ follows an almost-similar line. His lyrics strike a chord without being preachy or boring to listen to. In fact, you can’t sit still while listening to most of Burna’s song—it is a two-way thing: dance and reflect!
He Reminds Us Of Fela And We Don’t Want To Forget Him
Saturating Burna Boy’s hit tracks are electrifying traditional sounds that usher into the minds of every Nigerian who knows his/her roots, the great king of Afropop, Fela Kuti. And it is not only Burna Boy’s music that summons the cherished memory of this legend, his background does too. Burna boy comes from a family rooted in creativity—his grandfather, Benson Idonije was the music manager of the late Fela Kuti and his mother, Bose Ogulu was one of Fela’s dancers.
He Understands Melody And Pop Culture
In the African Giant Album, Burna Boy challenges music boundaries by smartly fusing the sounds of his home country with that of the Western world. Melody is something Burna Boy understands so well and knows how to use to his advantage and to the pleasure of music lovers. Even as Western listeners will be able to vibe to African Giant, Africans, Nigerians especially will still find the beat appealing.
And what’s not to admire about Burna Boy’s physical appearance? From his customized diamond encrusted Fela necklace down to his distinct dress style, Burna Boy serves self-awareness goals and today’s culture is all about finding and staying true to yourself.
Good Management
With the backing of his music critic grandfather and the ‘Cookiecious’ input of his mother who happens to be his manager, the sky is only the beginning for Burna Boy.
