It is no longer news that one of Nigeria’s biggest music acts, Burna Boy, born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has been nominated for the 2020 edition of the world’s biggest and most prestigious music recognition platform, Grammy Awards.
With the nominations for the 2020 Grammy Awards released on Wednesday, Burna Boy joins an elite list of Nigerians that have had to vie for the award, now in its 62nd edition. Burna Boy’s album, African Giant, which was released months ago, was nominated in the Best World Music Album category alongside Altin Gün for Gece, Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley for What Heat, Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet for Fanm D’Ayiti, and Angelique Kidjo for Celia.
Being a milestone in the journey of the Nigerian whose grandfather has a distinguished record of working with the legendary founder of Afrobeat, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, many Nigerians continue to react to the exciting news. Among those who have reacted so far are the likes of Wizkid, Davido, South African rapper, AKA and the music star’s British musician girlfriend, Steflon Don. Reacting moments after the nomination of her boyfriend became public knowledge, Steflon Don wrote: “Issa Grammy for the boy!!!!!!!!! We claim it!!!!! #AfricanGiant”
On his own, Wizkid, who was involved in the work nominated in the collaborative album effort for which Beyonce is nominated in the Best Pop Vocal Album, wrote: “King Burna!! @burnaboy congratulations blood! You deserve everything and more! From time G.”
Burna Boy, who has had a roller coaster 2019, so far, winning the MTV EMA, BET Best International Act, as well as awards from Soundcity, Headies, Apple Music’s Up Next Artist, AFRIMMA and VGMA awards among others, got a shout out from Davido, one of the biggest artistes in this part of the world, as well.
“Congrats @burnaboy..you deserve more than a NOM,” Davido wrote. When asked what he had to say to Burna’s nomination for a Grammy, AKA responded: “CONGRATULATIONS…obviously.” The most dramatic reaction, however, came from the mother of the Nigerian singer, who has been a part of his journey to this point. Burna Boy’s mother, Bose Ogulu, popularly known as Mama Burna and who doubles as his manager, reacted to the news in the most bragging way possible.
Taking to her Instagram profile, the dramatic and proud black woman updated her profile thus: “Talent Manager to GRAMMY NOMINEE’. The craziness sure runs in the family.” Others who have reacted include Banky W, Waje and even Adekunle Gold.
In his own reaction, Banky W, who now wears other caps as a politician and activist, reacted on Burna Boy’s nomination for Grammy award via his Twitter account. “Our African Giant has been nominated for a GRAMMY! Congratulations to Burna Boy, his Mom and the entire team. “AMAZING, and well deserved.
Anything is possible with a little bit of faith and a lot of hard work. So so happy for him,” he said. Also, singer, Waje took to her Twitter page, writing: “Burna! Beautiful news” while Adekunle Gold wrote: “IDC of the rest of the act on that list. Burna is winning it.”
Official host of Big Brother Naija, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu wrote: “And Burna Boy is gonna win it too!!! Giant!” while one of Nigeria’s leading female artistes, Seyi Shay, also reacted on Twitter thus: “Long Time Coming.
Congratulations @BurnaBoy.”
With some Nigerian icons having been nominated for this award in the past, the likes of King Sunny Ade, Wizkid, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti are among the leading candidates in this regard, meaning that for being nominated at all, Burna Boy is in illustrious company.
Worthy of special mention in this regard as the likes of King Sunny Ade, who was the first to be nominated and boasting of two nominations, as well as the first son of the iconoclast, Femi Kuti. King Sunny Ade was first nominated for a Grammy award for his original work, Syncro System 1983 and for Odu in 1999 in the Best World Music Album category.
Femi Kuti was nominated in the Best World Album category also for four times, beginning with Fight To Win in 2002, Day by Day, another was nominated in the Best Contemporary World Album in 2009. Africa for Africa was also nominated for the Best World Music Album category in 2011 and No Place For My Dream in 2013. His brother, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 received nomination for his album, Black Times, in 2018.
While a number of musicians linked to Nigeria including Sade Adu, Seal, Kelvin Olusola, a member of Pentatonix, are multiple winners of the Grammy Awards, they have either been of Nigerian descent joint or won through joint efforts with others.
This applies to Babatunde Olatunji, a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist, nominated for Love Drum Talk in 1997.
The only man who could be said to have won as a Nigerian in Sikiru Adepoju who won in 2008 with Planet Drum as part of the Global Drum Project. Adepoju, is a master of the talking drum and many other Yoruba percussion instruments, was born in Eruwa, Nigeria.
After moving to the San Fransico Bay Area in 1985, Sikiru joined the influential and pioneering Nigerian percussionist, Babatunde Olantunji and his Drums of Passion.
During this period he was introduced to Grateful Dead drummer, Mickey Hart, who has called Sikiru “The Mozart of the talking drum,” and employed him on many of his personal projects including the Grammy award winning albums, Planet Drum (1991) and Global Drum Project (2009) in the Best Contemporary World Music Album.
Thus, if he wins, Burna Boy will be the second Nigerian to win a Grammy, following the win by a renowned Nigerian percussionist, Sikiru Adepoju, but who is largely unknown to Nigerians.
For the 2020 edition of the globally respected music awards ceremony, Lizzo leads nominees with a total of eight nominations while both Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X have six nominations each.
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