Burna Boy performed at the Grammys for the first time; in a press release issued prior to the event, his representatives stated he was the first afro-fusion artist to do so,
Burna has long made an effort to differentiate himself by referring to his own music as Afro-fusion, even though he is most often associated with the more commonly known genre Afrobeats, which itself is often a fusion of genres such as highlife, hip-hop, R&B, and more.
Several other artists, such as Ghanaian singer Amaarae, have categorized their music as Afro-fusion.
Burna Boy’s performance featured energetic dancers and a backing band in green, a nod to the Nigerian flag.In a red rhinestone-adorned jacket, matching gray pants, and a snapback, Burna showed off his culture at the Grammys.
Burna switched to the more modern song “City Boys” before dazzling the audience with “Sittin’ On Top of the World” and bringing out Brandi, whose 1998 hit “Top of the World” with Ma$e is sampled in the song.As the singer delivered smooth vocals in a black trench coat, large clear glasses, and stunning scarlet boots, it was clear that she and Burna are indeed on top of the world.
Burna Boy is the most nominated African artist at the 2024 Grammy Awards with four nominations: Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Sittin’ on Top of the World” featuring 21 Savage, Best Global Music Album for “I Told Them…,” and Best Global Music Song.
“Alone” from the soundtrack of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and “City Boys” — another popular single from I Told Them — won Best African Music Performance in 2021. In 2021, the Nigerian singer won the Best Global Music Album award for his album, Twice As Tall.
Burna Boy’s ground-breaking performance highlighted the significance of the Afrobeats movement in addition to showcasing a variety of musical genres at the Grammys.
