Burna Boy proves he’s an “African Giant”

Nigeria’s biggest star wants to bring black music back home even as he traces its future

The title of Burna Boy’s latest album refers to his angry response when he saw his name in small print below the headliners of this year’s Coachella: “I am an African giant and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means.”

The main mission of this record is thus clear: Burna is out to prove his claim of continental domination, and support it with high calibre guests from around the world (Jorja Smith, Damian Marley, Future, Angelique Kidjo, YG, and many more). He starts from the heritage, moves to the hottest African sounds, then integrates them into popular US trends.

He succeeds for the most part, even if the music slightly loses quality as he progresses from past to future. The strongest moments are when he conjures the spirit of Fela Kuti and reincarnates Afrobeat in a modern body, today’s giant paying respectful homage to Africa’s towering giant. When he gets to Afrobeats, the currently dominant blend of world music that he practically owns, he delivers the best quality you can expect, but there are no revelations. A powerful addition to the songs are the spoken messages about African history, especially how capitalism bred colonialism.

But this is not music to over-analyse. It is party music for the most part, and it is exciting in how it blends sounds from different eras and differnt styles from all corners of the globe.

Whatever he does, Burna is sure to get your feet moving and your butt shaking. No one does this better than Africans, and the giant is showing the way. Join the worldwide party now!