The biography of Burna Boy
Nigerian singer and songwriter Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, better known by his stage name Burna Boy, hails from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was born in Port Harcourt on July 2, 1991, to Nigerian parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ogulu. After raising him in Ahoada, they moved to Lagos State, where he finished his elementary schooling
Burna Boy: who is he?
Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, was born on July 2, 1991, and is considered one of the leading Afrobeats performers. With a lengthy resume and an abundance of accolades to his name, Burna Boy—who is regarded as one of the best singers and songwriters on the African continent—has lived up to the hype.
Twice As Tall, his fifth studio album, is the 2021 winner of the Best World Music album category at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
After being signed to Aristokrat Records and releasing the lead single off his debut album, L.I.F.E., which was released in 2013, the music mogul gained notoriety in 2012. Burna Boy, the founder of Spaceship Entertainment and the first Afrobeats artist to sell out Wembley arena (SSE arena), is a three-time BET Award winner for International Best Act and a Warner Music Group signee.
For Burna Boy, it only took a few years to achieve what most of his peers would have taken many years to accomplish. He stormed the music industry in 2010 and eventually made his way to the top in the next two years, carving out a niche for himself as one of Nigeria’s rapidly emerging talents.
The singer has everything it takes to become amazing like these guys of greatness, even though he may not be as well-known as Fela Kuti or King Sunny Ade. Burna Boy has overcome many challenges in the industry thanks to their voice, talent, aptitudes, charm, and conquering spirit.
Burna Boy’s Childhood
On July 2, 1991, Burna Boy, also known as Damini Ogulu, was born. The seaside city of Port Harcourt is where he was born. He is a native of Rivers State, Nigeria, and has roots in both the Niger Delta and the South-South.
Given that his mother, Bose Ogulu, is a Yoruba woman, he has mixed ancestry. Samuel Ogulu is the name of his father. Burna Boy was raised in an artistic household.
He is the older brother of musician and mechanical engineer Nissi Ogulu. He has an older sister, Romani Ogulu, who works as a designer and scientist. Benson Idonijie, a seasoned radio host, music critic, and former Fela Kuti band manager, is his grandfather. In addition, his mother was a former member of Fela Kuti’s female dance company, the Kalakuta Queen.
His early years were spent in Lagos City and Port Harcourt, where he was brought up by Christian parents. Burna Boy’s early musical discovery was facilitated by his family’s strong artistic heritage, and his parents never opposed him following his love. Rather, they gave him encouragement, which inspired him to begin writing songs when he was still in high school.
He recognized that in order to achieve his objective of being one of the greatest musicians of all time, his music needed to be distinctive. He decided to follow the Afrobeats trend and let himself be affected by songs by artists like King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti, and Bob Marley, among others.
The Educational Background of Burna Boy
Because of his upper-middle-class upbringing, Burna Boy has had access to high-quality schooling.
He attended a prestigious private school in Port Harcourt to finish his elementary and childcare education. He went to Agbara, Ogun State’s Corona Secondary School for his middle and high school education.
For his higher education, he moved to the UK and attended the University of Sussex, where he graduated with a degree in media technology.
Burna Boy’s Music Profession
Burna Boy recorded two mixtapes, Burn Notice and Burn Identity, after learning how to make beats with Fruity Loops and then signed to Aristokrat Records. In 2012, he launched the popular song “Like To Party” on this label, catapulting him into the spotlight.
The lead song off his first studio album, L.I.F.E., which was released on August 12, 2013, is called Like To Party. Other top-charting songs from the project include “Tonight,” “Always Love You,” “Run My Race,” and “Yawa Dey.”
Burna Boy received a nomination at The Headies for the 2013 Next Rated Artiste award. However, Sean Tizzle, a fellow vocalist, won the prize instead of him. The 2014 Nigerian Entertainment Awards featured a nomination for Best Album of the Year for his debut album, L.I.F.E.
He left Aristokrat Records two years after he rose to fame and started Spaceship Entertainment, his own record company, in February 2015. He has four more commercially successful albums and music projects under Spaceship.
He released his eagerly awaited second studio album, On A Spaceship, on November 25, 2015. Redemption, the album’s initial EP, was released in September 2016 and served as a strong promotional tool.
Burna Boy returned to the music scene in January 2018, releasing his third album, Outside, on the 26th of the same month. With hits like Ye, Heaven’s Gate, Rock Your Body, Koni Baje, Sekkle Down, and Streets Of Africa, the album helped him gain notoriety in the global music arena. The album went on to win Nigerian Entertainment Awards Album of the Year.
He was one among the African musicians selected to collaborate with Beyoncé on her 2019 album, The Lion King: The Gift. Ja Ara E, the single he wrote and recorded, earning him the distinction of being the only guest musician on the album to have their own tune.
In that same year, Burna Boy became the first Afrobeats performer to sell out Wembley Arena. Furthermore, he took home four prizes from the 2019 Soundcity MVP prizes Festival, including the coveted Best Male MVP, Listener’s Choice, and African Artiste of the Year titles.
On July 26, 2019, African Giant, his fourth studio album, was released to critical and commercial acclaim. It features top-charting hits including Anybody, Killin’ Dem, Gbona, On The Low, and Dangote, among others. In 2020, the album received a nomination for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in the Best World Music Album category. Nevertheless, Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo won the award instead of him.
Burna Boy’s fifth studio album, Twice As Tall, was executive produced by American music icon P. Diddy (Sean Combs) and his mother Bose Ogulu in 2020, during the epidemic. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, the album—which was released on August 14, 2020—won the Best World Music Album category. As a result, Burna Boy created history by becoming the first Nigerian musician to receive consecutive Grammy nominations.
The song “Destiny,” by Burna Boy, which is featured on the African Giant album, was played during Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president. His song “My Money, My Baby” was used on the soundtrack CD for the movie Queen. Ballon D’Or, his most recent song starring Wizkid, was released in January 2022.
Burna Boy’s private life
Along with Wizkid and Davido, Burna Boy is regarded as one of the top three musicians on the African music scene and is sometimes referred to as the “Giant of African music.” On July 2nd, the musician who was born in Port Harcourt turned 31 years old. Naturally, his close friends, family, and management team arranged a big celebration to mark the occasion.
Currently, Bose Ogulu, his mother, is in charge of him. He divides his time between London, where his partner lives, and Lagos. Since 2018, Burna Boy and UK female musician Stefflon Don have been romantically involved.
His opulent lifestyle makes it clear that he is among the wealthiest musicians in the nation. prestigious publications like Vogue, British GQ, and Evening Standard have all highlighted him. He loves football and cheers for Manchester United, an English team. He represents the brands of Nigerian Breweries PLC, Pepsi, and Chipper Cash, a digital firm.
What Burna Boy Is Worth?
Due to his achievements in the music business, Burna Boy has been able to amass a substantial fortune through royalties, brand partnership agreemen
ts, and live performances.
His estimated net worth ranges from $20 million to $25 million.