11 Interesting Facts About Burna Boy
(UPDATED on ) — Burna Boy released his first album L.I.F.E (Leaving an Impact for Eternity) in 2013. In the years since his debut album, the Nigerian musician has become one of the most famous and popular artists from his country. Here are some interesting facts about the African Giant, Burna Boy.
1. Connection to Fela Kuti
Burna Boy was born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu on July 2nd 1991 in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state in Nigeria. His maternal grandfather, Benson Idonije, is a writer, music critic, and former radio producer and presenter. Idonije is also known for being the first manager of Fela Kuti, the legendary Nigerian musician and pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre. Burna Boy was only 6 years old when Fela Kuti died, so he never got the chance to meet Fela or see him perform. However, Burna Boy got exposed to the music of Fela Kuti through his grandfather’s large music collection; which also included jazz, Miles Davis, Manu Dibango, Jimi Hendrix, and more. Burna Boy considers Fela Kuti as his “inspiration and childhood hero”.
“Fela is my inspiration and my childhood hero, so if you think comparing me to Fela is honorable, it’s actually not,” [Burna Boy] states. “It actually makes me feel weird. Fela was Fela, and if it wasn’t for Fela, there probably wouldn’t be any me, so I don’t understand the comparison.” (Source: GQ Magazine)
2. Managed by his mother
Burna Boy’s parents are Bose and Samuel Ogulu. In 2020, the couple celebrated their 30th anniversary. Burna Boy’s father worked as the manager of a welding business. His mother – who speaks French, Italian, German, English, and Yoruba- was a translator for the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce. She was also the CEO of a language and music school. Bose Ogulu is now Burna Boy’s manager. He has said that “she’s the only one [he trusts] to really have [his] best interest”.
3. Burna Boy calls his music Afro-Fusion
Burna Boy explained to Interview Magazine that “Afro-fusion is basically like a pizza. With Afrobeat as the base—the dough—and everything else, the pepperoni and all that, that’s the reggae, the dancehall, the R&B and hip-hop”. On The Daily Show, he gave a similar description of Afro-Fusion to Trevor Noah.
4. Drake sampled Burna Boy’s voice
In March 2017, Drake released the musical project called “More Life”. The 5th track, titled “Get It Together”, is a remake of South African DJ, Black Coffee, and Bucie’s 2010 single ‘Superman’. The outro is a chopped sample of a track that Burna Boy had submitted to Drake. You can listen to both tracks below.
5. Unapologetically pan-Africanist
In several interviews, Burna Boy has talked about the need for African unity and the “reconnection of the black race“. He and his mother are advocates of pan-Africanism.
“The reason for everything I do and how I do it is for one goal and one goal only, and that’s the eventual unity of Africa,” [Burna Boy] explains. “One day we’ll have one passport, one African currency, one Africa. Then and only then will my mission be complete.” (Source: GQ Magazine)
6. Burna Boy’s first artist name was Shotgun
When he was a teenager, Burna Boy started freestyling and producing beats. He used the pseudonym Shotgun. He later chose the name Burna Boy because he wanted his artist name to sound like a superhero name from comic books: “Spiderman, Super man, Burna Boy…”
7. Burna Boy has a tattoo of Scarface Stewie
Burna Boy has several tattoos. Some of those tattoos are: the entire text of Psalm 38, the words “Rock Star” and “God loves”; a wall with family member’s names, an hydroplane, a bleeding heart, Fela Kuti’s face; the name that Burna Boy’s grandfather and Fela Kuti used to call each other; the title of Burna Boy’s first album (LIFE); Nigeria’s coat of arms with the words Omo Naija which mean “child of Nigeria”; Scarface Stewie (Stewie from Family Guy dressed as Scarface); the logo of AristoKrat Records, the record label that released Burna Boy’s first album.
8. Space Puffs Cereals
In October 2018, Burna Boy released a limited edition of cereals called Space Puffs cereals. The cereals were sold during a pop-up event in London.
9. Spaceship Collective record label
Burna Boy and his mother Bose Ogulu founded a record and publishing company called Spaceship Collective. Burna Boy’s sister, Nissi, is one of the artists signed to the record label. Their mother is the executive. Other members of the team include creative and branding executive Ronami Ogulu, and producers LeriQ and Telz.
10. Burna Boy included criticism about himself on his album
Burna Boy released “On A Spaceship” album in 2015. The intro of the album is an excerpt from Pulse Nigeria‘s Facts Only show with music critic Osagie Alonge. You can watch a video of the show below. Alongie’s opinion at the time was that Burna Boy was a fantastic and talented artist; but he was on a path to destruction because of his controversial behavior. Burna Boy has featured other voices on his albums including his grandfather, Benson Idonije; his mother, Bose Ogulu; and Ghanaian poet Ama Ata Aidoo.
11. Burna Boy will be the first Nigerian artist to headline Madison Square Garden in New York City
In December 2021, it was announced that Burna Boy will perform a one-night-only concert, called “Burna Boy Presents One Night in Space,” on April 28, 2022. He will become the first Nigerian artist to headline a concert at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
