- Burna Boy, African Giant, Nominated for 2020 Grammy Awards
Nigerian number one musician in 2019, Damini Ogulu popularly known as Burna Boy, has been nominated for the 2020 Grammy Awards.
Burna Boy’s African Giant album was nominated in the ‘Best World Music category.’
The category comprises of albums containing at least 51 percent of new vocal or instrumental.
Artists nominated alongside Burna Boy were Altin Gün (GECE); Bokanté and Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley (What Heat); Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet (Fanm D’Ayiti) and Angelique Kidjo (Celia).
Nigerian artists have started congratulating Burna Boy on his nomination.
In a tweet, Banky W, said, “Our African giant has been nominated for a Grammy!
“Congratulations to @burnaboy, his mom and the entire team.
“Amazing and well deserved. Anything is possible with a little bit of faith and a lot of hard work. So happy for him.”
Don Jazzy, one of the leading producers in the country, said: “Congrats on having the most amazing couple of years. The Grammy is actually just the icing on the already juicy cake.”
He added, “Congrats to the African giant @burnaboy on the Grammy nomination.”
Wizkid said: “King Burna!! Congratulations blood! You deserve everything and more.”
“Congrats @burnaboy, you deserve more than a nomination,” Davido tweeted.
Meanwhile, African unite concert organised in South Africa has been cancelled following public outcry demanding Burna Boy be pulled out.
The reaction was in response to Burna Boy comments on Xenophobia attacks on African immigrants in South Africa.
Burna Boy had promised not to perform in South Africa until the killing of African immigrants living in South Africa stopped.
The organisers of the concert, Phambili Media, in a statement said, “As one of artists at the centre stage of the xenophobic attacks uproar, we saw fit to engage him to be a part of the Africans Unite campaign that aims to ultimately change the current negative narrative to that of solidarity and unity. It seems we have failed in this regard.
“As organisers of the Africans Unite Concert, we continue to advocate for unity and peace. Moreover, we condemn any form of discrimination, violence or aggressive behaviour towards any person due to their gender or nationality.”
“We do, however, stand behind our decision for the initial inclusion of Burna Boy in the Africans Unite Concert line-up,” the statement stated.