Burna Boy Biography
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, was born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. He comes from a family deeply rooted in music; his grandfather, Benson Idonije, was once the manager of the legendary Fela Kuti. His mother, Bose Ogulu who later became his manager, has always had a strong passion for music and played a pivotal role in shaping his career.
Burna Boy Early Life
Born in Port Harcourt on July 2, 1991, Burna Boy is a native of Rivers State, located in Nigeria’s South-South region and the Niger Delta. He is of mixed heritage, with his mother, Bose Ogulu, being Yoruba and his father, Samuel Ogulu, being Ijaw. Creativity runs in his family, his younger sister, Nissi Ogulu, is both a singer and a mechanical engineer, while his older sister, Romani Ogulu, is a scientist and designer.
His grandfather, Benson Idonije, is a renowned music critic, veteran broadcaster, and former manager of Fela Kuti. Additionally, his mother once performed as a Kalakuta Queen, one of the dancers in Fela Kuti’s band. Raised in a Christian household, Burna Boy spent his early years in both Port Harcourt and Lagos. Growing up in such an artistic environment helped him discover his musical abilities early on. His parents encouraged his passion, allowing him to start writing songs during his high school years.
Determined to become one of the greatest musicians of all time, he decided to craft a unique sound that would set him apart. He chose Afrobeats as his foundation, drawing inspiration from legends like Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, and King Sunny Ade.
Burna BoyPersonal Life
Burna Boy is often referred to as the “Giant of African Music” and is regarded as one of the top three African artists alongside Wizkid and Davido. He celebrated his 30th birthday on July 2 with a lavish party attended by family, friends, and his management team.
Currently managed by his mother, Burna Boy splits his time between Lagos and London, where his girlfriend, British artist Stefflon Don, resides. Their relationship began in 2018. Known for his luxurious lifestyle, Burna Boy is among Nigeria’s wealthiest musicians and has been featured in major publications such as Vogue, British GQ, and Evening Standard. A passionate football fan, he supports Manchester United. He also serves as a brand ambassador for Pepsi, Nigerian Breweries PLC, and fintech company Chipper Cash.
Burna Boy Career
Burna Boy began his music journey by learning beat production with FruityLoops. He released two mixtapes, Burn Notice and Burn Identity, before signing to Aristokrat Records. Under the label, he dropped his breakthrough single Like to Party in 2012, which introduced him to mainstream success. The song was the lead single from his debut album L.I.F.E, released on August 12, 2013. The album featured hits like Run My Race, Yawa Dey, Always Love You, and Tonight.
In 2013, Burna Boy was nominated for the Next Rated Artiste category at The Headies but lost to Sean Tizzle. His debut album was also nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2014 Nigerian Entertainment Awards. After parting ways with Aristokrat Records in 2015, he launched his own label, Spaceship Entertainment. Under this label, he released several successful projects, including On a Spaceship (2015) and the EP Redemption (2016).
His third studio album, Outside, released in January 2018, propelled him to international recognition with hits like Ye, Heaven’s Gate, and Rock Your Body. The album later won Album of the Year at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards. In 2019, Burna Boy collaborated with Beyoncé on her album The Lion King: The Gift, contributing the track Ja Ara E, making him the only guest artist with a solo song on the project.
That same year, he became the first Afrobeats artist to sell out Wembley Arena and bagged multiple awards at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, including African Artiste of the Year. His fourth album, African Giant (2019), featuring hits like Anybody, Killin’ Dem, and On the Low, earned him a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album in 2020. Although he didn’t win, he made history with his fifth album, Twice As Tall (2020), which won the Grammy for Best Global Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making him the first Nigerian artist to win in that category.
Burna Boy’s song Destiny was featured in Joe Biden’s U.S. presidential inauguration playlist, while My Money, My Baby appeared on the Queen & Slim soundtrack. In 2022, he released the hit single Ballon D’Or featuring Wizkid.
Burna Boy Parents
Burna Boy’s mother, Bose Ogulu, previously worked as a language translator and now manages his career. His father, Samuel Ogulu, owned a welding company. His maternal grandfather, Benson Idonije, was the former manager of Fela Kuti.
Burna Boy Education
Burna Boy attended Montessori International School in Port Harcourt for his primary education before moving to Lagos for secondary school at Corona Secondary School in Agbara, Ogun State. Later, he studied Media Technology at the University of Sussex and Media Communications and Culture at Oxford Brookes University in the UK. However, his passion for music led him to leave school and return to Nigeria to pursue music full-time.
Burna Boy State of Origin
Burna Boy hails from Rivers State, Nigeria, specifically from Ahoada LGA, which has Ijaw and Igbo heritage.
Discography
- Twice As Tall
- African Giant
- Outside
- On a Spaceship
- L.I.F.E
- Redemption
- Burn Notice
Burna Boy Tribe
Burna Boy is of mixed ethnicity his father is Ijaw and his mother is Yoruba. While some debate his exact tribal affiliation, Burna Boy identifies himself as a “citizen of the world.”
Burna Boy Social Media
Burna Boy commands a massive social media presence with over 8.8 million Instagram followers and 5.9 million Twitter followers.
Instagram: @burnaboygram
Twitter: @burnaboy
Burna Boy Net Worth
Through music sales, brand endorsements, and live performances, Burna Boy has built an estimated net worth of $20 million to $25 million.