One of the most well-known Afrobeats musicians is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, better known by his stage name Burna Boy. Burna Boy, who is regarded as one of the best songwriters and vocalists on the African continent, has lived up to the expectations, amassing a sizable record and a slew of awards.
For his fifth studio album, Twice As Tall, he won the Best World Music Album category at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021.
The artist gained notoriety in 2012 after signing with Aristokrat Records and releasing the lead single from his debut album, L.I.F.E, which was released in 2013. Burna Boy, the creator of Spaceship Entertainment and a three-time winner of the BET Award for International Best Talent, was the first Afrobeats performer to sell out Wembley Arena (SSE arena). He is presently contracted to Warner Music Group.
Burna Boy completed what the majority of his contemporaries couldn’t in such a long period of time in only a few short years. He dominated the music industry in 2010 and eventually rose to the top after two years, carving out a niche for himself as one of Nigeria’s quickly growing stars to watch out for.
The vocalist may not be as well-known as Fela Kuti or King Sunny Ade, but he certainly possesses everything necessary to surpass these legendary figures. Burna Boy has overcome many barriers in the music industry thanks to his voice, talent, aptitudes, attraction, and valiant soul.
Burna Boy Age and Birthday
Burna Boy was born Damini Ogulu on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt to Nigerian parents Mr. and Mrs. Ogulu, who later moved to Lagos State, where he finished his primary school. He was raised in Ahoada. He is 32 years old as of now. He is a Rivers State native who is also from Nigeria’s Niger Delta and South-South regions.
His mother, a Yoruba woman named Bose Ogulu, is of mixed ancestry. Samuel Ogulu is his father’s name. Burna Boy comes from an artistic family.
Burna Boy Family
Nissi Ogulu, a singer and mechanical engineer, is his older brother. He has an older sibling, a scientist, and designer named Romani Ogulu. His grandfather is Benson Idonijie, a veteran radio broadcaster, music critic, and former Fela Kuti band manager. His mother was also a former Kalakuta Queen, one of Fela Kuti’s female dancers.
His parents raised him as a Christian, and he spent his childhood in Port Harcourt and Lagos City. Coming from a family with a rich artistic background aided Burna Boy in discovering his musical talent early on, and he faced no opposition from his parents in pursuing his passion. Instead, they encouraged him, which prompted him to begin writing songs.
With the goal of becoming one of the greatest musicians of all time, he knew that his music would have to be unique in order to stand out. As a result, he chose to follow in the footsteps of Afrobeats, listening to records by Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and King Sunny Ade, among others.
Educational Background
Burna Boy comes from an upper-middle-class family, which provided him with a good education.
He finished crèche and primary school at a prestigious private school in Port Harcourt. He attended Corona Secondary School in Agbara, Ogun State, for his middle and high school education.
He moved to the United Kingdom for his university education, where he earned a degree in Media Technology from the University of Sussex.
Burna Boy Musical Career
Burna Boy recorded two mixtapes, Burn Notice and Burn Identity, after learning how to produce beats with Fruity Loops and signing with Aristokrat Records. Under this label, he released the hit song “Like To Party” in 2012, catapulting him into the spotlight.
Like To Party is the lead single from his debut studio album, L.I.F.E, which was released on August 12, 2013. Other top-charting singles on the album include Run My Race, Yawa Dey, Always Love You, and Tonight.
Burna Boy was shortlisted for The Headies’ 2013 Next Rated Artiste award. However, he was defeated by fellow singer Sean Tizzle for the award. At the 2014 Nigerian Entertainment Awards, his debut album L.I.F.E was nominated for Best Album Of The Year.
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Burna Boy’s Record Label
In February 2015, two years after becoming a music star, he left Aristokrat Records to launch his own music label, Spaceship Entertainment. He has released four other financially successful albums and music projects under Spaceship.
On November 25, 2015, he released his highly anticipated second studio album, On A Spaceship. The album was accompanied by a debut EP, Redemption, which was released in September 2016.
Burna Boy made a comeback in January 2018 with the release of his third album, Outside, on the 26th of that month. With hit singles like Ye, Heaven’s Gate, Rock Your Body, Koni Baje, Sekkle Down, and Streets Of Africa, the album helped him gain international recognition. At the Nigerian Entertainment Awards, the album was named Album of the Year.
He was one of a group of African artists invited to work on Beyoncé’s album The Lion King: The Gift in 2019. He wrote and recorded the single, Ja Ara E, and was the only guest artiste to have their own track on the album.
Burna Boy Wembley Arena
That same year, Burna Boy became the first Afrobeats artist to sell out Wembley Arena. Furthermore, he won four awards at the 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, including African Artiste Of The Year, Listener’s Choice, and Best Male MVP.
His fourth studio album, African Giant, which includes top-charting singles such as Anybody, Killin’ Dem, Gbona, On The Low, Dangote, and others, was released on July 26th, 2019 to critical acclaim and commercial success. At the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020, the album was nominated for Best World Music Album. However, he was defeated by Angelique Kidjo, a Beninese singer.
Burna Boy began recording his fifth studio album, Twice As Tall, in 2020, during the pandemic, which was executive produced by American music icon P. Diddy (Sean Combs) and his mother, Bose Ogulu. The album, which was released on August 14, 2020, won Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. As a result, Burna Boy became the first Nigerian artist to receive back-to-back Grammy nominations.
Burna Boy’s single Destiny (from the African Giant album) was included on the playlist at Joe Biden’s inauguration as President of the United States. His song, My Money, My Baby, was featured on the soundtrack album for the film Queen and Slim. Ballon D’Or, his most recent collaboration with Wizkid, was published in January 2022.
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Burna Boy’s Personal Life
Burna Boy is widely regarded as the “Giant of African Music,” and is regarded as one of the continent’s top three artists, alongside Wizkid and Davido. On July 2, the Port Harcourt-born singer turned 31 years old, and as expected, his family, close friends, and management team threw a large party to commemorate the occasion.
Bose Ogulu, his mother, is currently in charge of him. He travels between Lagos and London, where his girlfriend lives. Burna Boy started dating UK female artist Stefflon Don in 2018.
He is one of the country’s wealthiest artists, as evidenced by his lavish lifestyle. He has appeared in prestigious publications such as Vogue, British GQ, and the Evening Standard. He enjoys football and supports the English club Manchester United. He is a brand ambassador for Pepsi, Nigerian Breweries PLC, and Chipper Cash, a technology company.
Burna Boy’s net worth
Burna Boy’s success in the music industry has enabled him to amass a fortune through royalties, brand partnership deals, and live performances.
His net worth is estimated to be between $20 million and $25 million.
