5 years ago, Burna Boy released his fifth album ‘African Giant’.
Burna Boy has enjoyed a steady international rise with his music winning several awards and his sold-out concert setting notable African records.
On July 25, 2019, Burna Boy released his fifth album ‘African Giant’. The album followed the success of his hit single ‘YE’ which brought him international attention.
With his fame rising, Burna Boy set out to make an album that announced his arrival on the world stage and underscored his status as one of the best artists from Africa.
The 19-track album conveyed an emphatic display of Burna Boy’s artistry with songs that dominated the charts and the streets while consolidating his rise as a global superstar.
The album made from a chest-thumping position was backed by songs that helped listeners to view Burna Boy from the lenses from which he viewed himself.
Through brilliant genre-fusing, Burna Boy delivered music that nurtured the cravings of his newfound global listeners and the Nigerian audience. With songs like ‘Dangote,’ ‘Killing Dem’ feat Zlatan and the Afrobeat-inspired ‘Anybody’ and ‘Gbona’, Burna Boy delivered records that thrive on the cultural and sonic familiarity that shape Nigerian society.
Inspired by the great Fela Kuti, Burna Boy doesn’t shy away from speaking on sociocultural injustice. He taps Ghanaian-conscious rapper Manifest to discuss Africa’s deficient political leadership. He also recruited pan-Africanist music legend Angelique Kidjio and Afrocentric Reggae superstar Damian Marley whose brilliance elevates their philosophical musing on the fate of the black race on ‘Different’.
Burna Boy‘s change in fortune came from the global attention that followed Kanye West‘s decision to call his EP ‘ye’ 6 months after the Nigerian star released a song of the same name. This stroke of good fortune would be consolidated through cross-over efforts on ‘African Giant’ with songs like ‘Pull Up,’ the RnB styled ‘Gum Body’ feat Jorja Smith, and ‘On The Low’ which would go on to enjoy international success.
Burna Boy also ingrained himself to international consumers with collaborations with American stars Future, YG, Jeremih, and Jamaican singer Serani.
‘African Giant’ would achieve the desired result of rocketing Burna Boy to superstar status and positioning him as the foremost talent from the continent.
It made history becoming the first pop album by an African artist to be nominated for the Grammys World Album category. Buoyed by the hit records ‘On The Low,’ ‘Gbona,’ ‘Anybody’, and ‘Gum Body’ it became one of the most streamed albums by a Nigerian and African artist.
Five years after its release, ‘African Giant’ is credited for being the album that kicked Burna Boy’s global rise and opened the Grammy doors for contemporary African artists.
With its critical and commercial acclaim, the album is considered by many to be his magnum opus (best album) although some observers, including this writer, might argue that the honour belongs to his Grammy-winning album ‘Twice As Tall’.
5 years ago, Burna Boy released his fifth album ‘African Giant’. Read More
