Entertainment

Burna Boy: African Giant Standing Twice As Tall

Published

3 years ago

March 19, 2021

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The previous weekend was a classic one for the Nigerian entertainment world. It was there and then in far away Los Angeles, United States of America that Nigeria’s Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu aka Burna Boy, picked up a well deserved Grammy award as the event hosted its 63rd edition. The Grammy is traditionally billed as “music’s biggest night”.

The pleasure did not end with the award, but also saw Wizkid, winning with Beyonce for their efforts in the album Brown Skin Girl.

Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album category while Wizkid won the Best Music Video for his song with Beyoncé; Brown Skin Girl, from Lion King: The Gift album.

Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy was also a winner on the song.

The Best Music Video award is given to the artist, video director and video producer.

Burna Boy, a nominee for a second consecutive year, won with his Twice As Tall album.

Born on July 2 1991 in Port Harcourt, Burna Boy, is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer, and arguably Africa’s biggest and most successful artists at the moment.

Burna Boy had a humble upbringing where he was initiated into the world music early in life. Apart from his father, who managed a welding company, his grandfather, Benson Idonije, once managed Fela Kuti. His mother Bose Ogulu would later become his manager.

While growing up, the young Burna began making his own beats using FruityLoops even while he was attending Corona Secondary School in Agbara (Ogun State). He later relocated to London to further his studies. He studied Media Technology at the University of Sussex, and later Media Communications and Culture at Oxford Brookes University.

His impression in the music world started with the release in August 2013 of his debut studio album L.I.F.E, following his second mixtape Burn Identity (2011). The album sold 40,000 copies on the first day of its release. Aristokrat Records later sold its marketing rights to Uba Pacific for ₦10 million. The album’s release was preceded by five singles: “Like to Party”, “Tonight”, “Always Love You”, “Run My Race” and “Yawa Dey”.

In 2012, his rating shot up with the release of “Like to Party”, the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed with Bad Habit/Atlantic Records in the United States and Warner Music Group internationally. His third studio album Outside marked his major-label debut.

Prior to carting away an award at the 2021 Grammys, Burna Boy had in 2019, won Best International Act at the 2019 BET Awards, and was announced as an Apple Music Up Next artist.

When his fourth studio album, African Giant, was released in July 2019, it won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards, and was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. He was awarded the African Artist of the year at the 2020 VGMA’s. In 2020, his album Twice as Tall was nominated for the same category at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making him the first Nigerian with back-to-back nominations at the Grammys.

And to cap it up, in 2021, he won the Grammy award for Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards; obviously the first Nigerian to achieve such feat.

Burna Boy describes his music as Afro-fusion, a genre that blends Afrobeat, dancehall rhythms, reggae, American rap and R&B. August Brown of the Los Angeles Times said Burna Boy’s sound is “savvy and modern but undistracted by obvious crossover moves.”

As for his love life, it’s still unclear whether he is dating Stefflon Don or Jo Pearl, but he is a toast and an inspiration among the young.

Entertainment

Simi Features As Special Guest on Glo-sponsored African Voices

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Eric

Star singer Simi is special guest on Glo-sponsored African Voices

This weekend’s edition of African Voices Changemakers, on CNN International, will feature Nigerian songster, songwriter and actress, Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, popularly known by her stage name, Simi.

According to a statement by sponsors of the show, Globacom, Simi will delight viewers with inspirational stories behind her adventure in the music world on the 30-minute magazine programme.

Simi was born on 19 April 1988 in Lagos as the last of four children. She started her career as a gospel singer, releasing her debut studio album in 2008, entitled “Ogaju”. She gained public recognition in 2014 after releasing “Tiff”, a song that was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies 2015. Earlier in 2014, Simi signed a record deal with X3M Music, but left the label in May 2019 following the expiration of her contract.

She released her second studio album “Simisola” on September 8, 2017. Her third studio album “Omo Charlie Champagne”, Vol. 1 was released to coincide with her 31^st birthday on April 19, 2019, after which she launched her record label Studio Brat in June of the same year.

The graduate of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State was one of the top judges in Season 7 of the Nigerian idol TV show in 2022.

Simi who married a singer named Adekunle Gold in a private wedding ceremony on January 9, 2019 became a mother for the first time on the 30th of May 2020 when she gave birth to her daughter Adejare.

The 30-minute magazine programme will be aired on Saturday at 8.30 a.m. Repeats will be broadcast on Saturday at noon; Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. On Monday next week, another repeat will be shown at 4.00 a.m., Saturday at 8.30 a.m. and 12 noon and Sunday at 7.00 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.

Entertainment

‘We Finally Lost Him’, AGN Confirms Junior Pope’s Death

Published

3 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Eric

The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, has confirmed the death of Nollywood actor, John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope.

The actor and three of his colleagues were coming back from a movie location in a boat when they fell into Anam River in Anambra on Wednesday.

Rollas took to his instagram page on Thursday to disclose the sad development as he wrote, “It is so so sad that our joy was shortlived.

“My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail.

“God knows the best. We finally lost him,” he said.

Junior Pope joined the Nollywood industry in 2006, and started attending movie auditions and acting as a minor character in movies.

He usually played the role of a bodyguard, palace attendant, and servant in movies.

In 2007, he rose to fame after acting in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Secret Adventures”, a movie directed by Tchidi Chikere.

He acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies which include: “Secret Adventures”, “Mad sex”, “Bitter Generation”, “Vengeance of Bullet”, “The Cat”, “The Generals”, “Wrong Initiation” among others.

DailyPost

Entertainment

I’m No Longer Cut Out for Marriage, Having Kids – Iyabo Ojo

Published

3 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Eric

Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has said that she is no longer cut out for marriage or having kids, stressing that her now is only for enjoyment.

Iyabo Ojo, a divorcee, expressed her intention not to seek marriage with her current partner, music executive Paul Okoye, also known as Paulo, saying their realtionship is for companionship.

Taking to her Instagram page, the actress shared, “Marriage – done and dusted. Had kids – done and dusted. Raised my kids – done and dusted. Next stage: Enjoyment! Enjoyment! Enjoyment!”

She added that people should, however, do what makes them happy and works for them.

“This is me. Do you ….. do what makes you happy and what works for you,” she wrote.

Iyabo Ojo is a prominent Nigerian actress, filmmaker, and entrepreneur.

She has been active in the Nigerian film industry, often referred to as Nollywood, for many years.

Ojo has appeared in numerous movies and has gained recognition for her talent and versatility as an actress. Apart from her acting career, she has also ventured into film production.