Dear Burna Boy, A Self-Appointed Nickname Doesn’t Make You a Giant.

Nigerian Afro-pop singer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, one you may know has Burna boy has certainly gone on to prove that it is what you call yourself you would be addressed by. From being called an underrated artist to self-acclaimed title as the ‘African Giant’, a clap-back at Coachella 2019’s official performance poster which had his name in smaller fonts led to this PR-positive decision, later earned him a successful crossover to the global stage. But is that really all it takes to become an unassailable African Giant?

The past few days have been brisk in the Nigerian music industry after famous producers Sarz and Shizzi served us legendary moments with the battle of the hits, a friendly Instagram Live Versus with over 22K people in attendance. At the end of the two-hours face-off, twitter users were quick to start comparing their favourite artists, birthing more challenges even among artists themselves.

A fan turned to #AskBurnaboy who he would go heads to heads with in a battle and he was quick to respond that he would go against ‘any worthy challenger. A statement some would refer to as a challenge to the three big names, ‘Wizkid, Olamide and Davido’’ and even Tiwa Savage. 

While some people think Burna’s tweet seemingly juxtaposes his confidence, others have gone on to describe it rude and unnecessary. If we are to keep it real, Rekaado Banks is no match for Burna Boy’s long line of hits and achievements but a better response would have earned more respect from his fans and the audience.

Burna Boy has been on the stage since 2012 after his first performance on the Calabar carnival stage, yet remained in the shadows of himself except the various controversies that came year-after-year until 2018, he was mostly referred to as a great hit out of the Nigerian Music industry right after his notable appearances.

To compare himself to any of the big names we have always known would be rather disrespectful but not for Burna who says nobody paved the way for him in the music industry, in a tweet in which he has since deleted. 

Lol. NOBODY paved shit for me. Everybody dey find them own. I bin Out here, if you knew the way they made us look weak by begging and paying the western world to like us you will see that no table was set and I’m the one that brought you the Respect you currently enjoy. — Burna Boy (@burnaboy) February 12, 2020

Twitter users were quick to respond to what Burna Boy had said Joey Akan said ‘Burna Boy is disrespectful,’ he goes on to explain this in a Twitter thread. 

One thing remains clear regardless, In a space saturated by many versions of the same skinny-jeans-clad, hit-seeking singers, with the same dreadlocks, as if to suggest they came off a production line, there is only one Burna.

Let us know if Burna Boy is really an ‘African Giant’ in the comment box below.