Entertainment
Burna Boy makes history with sold-out London Stadium gig
Burna Boy made history over the weekend when he became the first African artist to headline a stadium show in the UK.
A sold-out crowd of 60,000 fans screamed the Grammy award-winner’s Afrobeats lyrics back to him at the London Stadium.
And he didn’t disappoint with his two-hour set – bringing out famous friends like Stormzy and Dave on a giant merry-go-round to perform alongside him.
Afrobeats – a mix of African and Western influences – has seen a massive rise in popularity over recent years thanks to the likes of Burna Boy and Wizkid.
The pair, two of Nigeria’s biggest stars, have headlined some of the world’s major music festivals but it was Burna Boy who took it to another level on Saturday night.
Fans danced in the aisles, creating a carnival-like atmosphere as he bounced around the stage in a bright orange jumpsuit.
One of them was Kojo Amankwah, 27, who says he travelled 3,000 miles from Ghana to be at the historic gig.
“I loved seeing how multi-racial the crowd was, united by the power of Burna Boy’s music. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” he tells Newsbeat.
“It’s something the greatest performers of all time like Beyoncé and Michael Jackson have been able to achieve. And now Burna Boy’s done it.”
As well as Stormzy and Dave, Burna Boy also brought out big names like J Hus and Jamaican vocalist Popcaan as part of the star-studded gig.
But Kojo says the fact he had no warm-up acts shows how far Afrobeats has come.
“When you go for concerts, usually there’s a co-headliner, Burna Boy and his band didn’t need any of that,” he says.
“To know he has that much star power is something we’ve never seen before in African music.”
‘It’s for the people’
Someone else who was at the gig was Cata Hopkins – who was so excited that she was at the stadium for 10:00 GMT.
“It’s so hard to even put it into words, the energy was just wild the whole day,” she says.
“I met so many friends and other people that were there to have a good time and I think the best thing about the atmosphere was just how positive it was.
“Everyone was just happy and everybody was there feeding off the amazing energy that Burna and his band bring to the performance.”
Selling out a UK stadium has been hailed as a massive moment for the genre, which has been appearing on charts across the world and taking over TikTok dance challenges.
It’s also been embraced by some of the world’s biggest stars – with Beyoncé and Drake featuring Afrobeats artists on their albums.
The Official Charts Company has told Newsbeat that Afrobeats songs are now spending nearly 10 times as many weeks in the top 40 than they did two years ago.
Burna Boy’s hit Last Last peaked at number four in the Official Singles Chart Top 40, while Rema’s Calm Down – which features Selena Gomez – is currently number three.
Burna Boy’s also dominated the Official UK Afrobeats Chart, which launched on BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2020.
And he’s also taking Afrobeats to the football this weekend when he performs at the Champions League final in Istanbul.
TBaze is an Afrobeats musician in the UK who feels inspired by Burna Boy’s success and the rise of his sound.
“It’s not even just about the artist, musicians or fans. It’s for the people,” he says.
“The crowd represents a diverse community and it’s cross-cultural. We’re learning about different cultures through this experience.”
Looking ahead to the future of the genre, TBaze says the genre is growing because of social media.
“A lot of artists have to think about how the music relates to things like TikTok dance challenges. It could be Instagram reels or freestyle challenges.
“That accessibility is essential and I think about that when I’m writing a song.
“In future, I’d imagine people will be fusing Afrobeats into their genres even more.”
Credit:BBC Newsbeat
Veteran Ghanaian musician Okyeame Kwame has announced a new initiative aimed at engaging teachers and students through music and creativity.
The award winning artiste in a social media post revealed that the “Clap Challenge” will begin this week, starting with schools across the country.
He explained that the challenge will require a teacher together with students to record a video of themselves singing his “Clap” song.
According to him, the video must be lively and engaging to stand a chance of winning.
He stated that participants must also post their videos on social media with permission from their school authorities.
They are expected to use the hashtag #clap4others and tag him on any social media platform.
He added that one teacher will be selected as a winner every week and will receive a cash prize of GH¢1,000.
He noted that the final decision on winners will be made by him.
The musician encouraged teachers and students to take part in the challenge, stressing that it is designed to promote creativity, unity and positive expression among young people in schools.
This follows a GHC100,000 support from businessman, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, who lauded the musician for composing a song which has the tendency to change society and help eschew jealousy.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Veteran Ghanaian actor, Fred Amugi, has been cast in the upcoming Pan-African television series, Kismet, where he will play the role of Chief Ademola, a wealthy and influential Yoruba patriarch.
The series, set for production in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria, brings together a diverse cast ensemble from Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Cameroon, Kenya, and the United States.
A statement copied to the GNA in Accra said “It forms part of a broader effort to strengthen collaboration within Africa’s creative industry while positioning African stories for global audiences.”
Speaking on his involvement, Fred Nii Amugi, whose acting career spans more than four decades, described the role as a meaningful milestone.
“It is a proud moment for me at this stage of my career to be part of a Pan-African series,” he said.
“Playing a Yoruba character as a Ghanaian reflects something deeper about who we are as Africans. It reminds us that we are one people, connected beyond borders,” he indicated.
He added that his preparation for the role went beyond performance.
“As a Ghanaian of Ga heritage, I am taking time to study the historical and cultural links between the Ga and Yoruba people.
“I am learning about these connections so I can represent the character with truth and respect.”
“It is important that the world sees the shared identity that exists across our continent,” he noted.
Kismet is being developed as a high-quality thriller series with a Pan-African perspective, drawing talent from across the continent and the diaspora.
According to Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, President of the African Chamber of Content Producers and production advisor for the project, the series represents the united image of Africa that is capable of contributing to the global creative economy.
“As part of building a Pan-African creative economy, Kismet is a call for Africans to come together and tell our stories as one people.
“We are also aligning this effort with the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a strong continental market for African content,” he underlined.
The producer of the series, Paul Joegad, emphasised the global ambition behind the project.
Based in the United States, Joegad noted that the production was designed to meet international standards while maintaining authentic African storytelling.
“We are leveraging diaspora networks and global experience to create a series that resonates across cultures,” he said.
“Our goal is to produce content that can stand on international platforms through quality and strong storytelling.”
He added that assembling the right team had been central to the project’s vision. Among those involved is Mawuko Kuadzi, a Casting Society of America (CSA) member and the first African to win an Artios Award in its 40-year history.
The producers say the series seeks to position Africa as a major player in global content, fostering international Pan-African partnerships. –GNA
