Burna Boy Is The Modern Fela Anikulapo Kuti – Troost-Ekong

Super Eagles and Watford defender, William Troost-Ekong has come out to say that Fela and Burna Boy inspire him. He recently revealed this while speaking to Watford’s official website on Black History Month, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, he is really inspired by the messages in Burna Boy’s songs and he sees him as the modern Fela.

Ekong added that Burna has a very strong message in his music and he absolutely loves what he stands for.

His words, “His music inspires me, maybe like a modern-day Fela because he also has very strong messages in his music and I love what he stands for. He has a great connection with the UK and coming from Nigerian heritage, he’s someone I can relate to.”

“I love what he stands for, it’s individualism and also the great music he makes, all of his songs, the messages, the life lessons, so anyone who hasn’t heard Fela’s music I would definitely recommend it.”

WOW.

Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (born 2 July 1991), known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in 2012 after releasing “Like to Party”, the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed with Bad Habit/Atlantic Records in the United States and Warner Music Group internationally. His third studio album Outside (2018) marked his major-label debut. In 2019, he won Best International Act at the 2019 BET Awards. He was also announced as Apple Music’s Up Next artist. His fourth studio album African Giant was released in July 2019.

Damini Ogulu was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. His father managed a welding company and his mother worked as a translator. His grandfather Benson Idonije once managed Fela Kuti. Ogulu grew up in southern Nigeria and began making his own beats using FruityLoops. He completed high school near Lagos and relocated to London to further his studies.

Burna Boy’s fourth studio album African Giant was released on July 26, 2019. It has been supported by six singles: “Gbona”, “On the Low”, Killin Dem”, “Dangote”, “Anybody” and “Pull Up”. He began recording the album in 2018. He told Billboard magazine that the album is his most personal yet. He first revealed plans to release the album in April 2019, and held a private listening session in Los Angeles. Photos and videos from the listening session were shared on social media. African Giant was initially announced as a 16-track album. In order to promote the album, Burna Boy headlined the African Giant Returns tour, the second leg of his African Giant tour. Burna Boy recorded “My Money, My Baby”, a track that appeared on Queen & Slim’s soundtrack album. Described as an “Afrobeat-tinged track”, “My Money, My Baby” contains a sample of Fela Kuti’s 1972 song “Shakara”.