Love him or hate him, Burna Boy is not the type that runs away from saying his mind regardless of the controversies that come with that.
And on Tuesday, a couple of tweets he posted started another round of Burna controversy. The ‘Ye’ singer accused Nigerian singers of paying for popularity in places like the United States and the United Kingdom.
That statement itself came off the back of another controversial tweet in which Burna Boy claimed he is the best artist in Nigeria after the legendary Fela, whose music and persona influence Burna’s music.
FACT! I always knew I was and I am THE BEST. Everyone you think is the best KNOWS I’m BEST since Fela Kuti. But @timayatimaya told me something a long time ago that made me not care about being the best. “The World can do without the Best” the world will still spin regardless.
No doubt that Burna Boy had an amazing 2019. Maybe even in 2018. But the likes of Tiwa Savage, Davido and Wizkid have had good runs in the years before, selling out shows and arenas even places like Suriname.
In fact, they enjoyed healthy doses of endorsement from celebrities in the West on and off social media. Collabos? There were those, too.
Moreover, Wizkid, Davido and Tiwa Savage signed deals with non-Nigerian record labels.
Before them, there was D’banj who enjoyed a short, maybe forgettable run with Kanye West’s Good Music. But his Oliver Twist was a monster hit, even in the US.
And before Burna’s Grammy nomination, the sons of Fela, Femi and Seun Kuti, were nominated. And persons of Nigerian origin have picked up the much-coveted awards.
But in one tweet and without mentioning names, the successes some Nigerian artist enjoyed abroad were dumped in a Twitter bin. Just like that.
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.
As expected, Burna’s tweets have generated mixed reactions. Some followers agree with him on his claim to being the best while others believe he is overreaching despite the successes he has enjoyed in the last two years.
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