ARTISTE SPOTLIGHT: BURNA BOY

By TheFunbi (@spicychick05)

If you are not yet familiar with this phrase ‘they call me buurnnnaaaaaaaa boy’ permit me to enlighten you (hands u lastma medal tho). I first stumbled on Burna boy while watching soundcity a couple of weeks ago. It was the video for his new hit single ‘like to party’. I was shocked and excited at the same time; Shocked that this sound was ACTUALLY Nigerian and excited because I wasn’t hearing the average or regular naija ‘party jam’. This was something different and I was impressed. Finally, on radio, a breath of fresh air!!! Or better yet, that feeling you get when you chow ijebu garri with freezing cold water after a long day under the scotching Abuja sun! (Err yes I love ijebu garri *shrugs*).Ok I digress, who is this Burna boy I speak of? Let’s find out, shall we?


Burna boy born Damini Ogulu is from Ahoada in Rivers state. He grew up in PortHarcourt, the same place that brought us Duncan Mighty and Timaya. He attended Corona Secondary school and later moved to the United Kingdom for further studies. He burst into the music scene in 2010 when he moved back to Nigeria from London, but at the time, he was only making waves in his home city. However, this changed when he entered the Lagos scene around June this year with the single ‘like to party’ that has got people talking all over several social networks. He is currently signed to Aristocrat records. Though he is a new act, he featured at several events this year .He was recently on the Hennessey tour in Lagos. He also performed at Rhythm unplugged and was at the New edition concert in  Portharcourt .However, ‘like to party’ isn’t his only single. ‘Abeg abeg abeg and ‘touch ur toes’ are also some of his singles and he released two mixtapes last year, BURN NOTICE and BURN IDENTITY. Burna Boy is a dancehall/reggae musician but he also infuses a lot of hip-hop, r&b and afro-pop in his music .These genres are all evident in his mixtapes.


Why are we talking about him? Finally there is a deviation from the norm. His hit track, like to party is a feel good, happy and relaxed song, definitely not your average song in the naija music scene. This is something new and fresh and from all indications it seems Burna Boy is headed for the top. Although we anticipate his debut album titled “L.I.F.E” , I am curious to see  if he would maintain his ‘uniqueness’ and not try to blend in with the rest of the thousand and one musicians churning out ‘a certain type’ of “sound” for our listening pleasure. Before his debut however  he is set to release a new single on the 24th of September titled ‘tonight’ and we will get another chance to know for sure if this ‘uniqueness’ is here to stay.


If u love good music like I do, be on the lookout for Burna Boy.