Burna Boy has won a Grammy for his album, Twice as Tall in the Best Global Music Album category. The Afrobeat album was executive produced by Diddy “for free,” according to Burna Boy.
Twice as Tall beat out international albums by Antibalas, Bebel Gilberto, Anoushka Shankar, and Tinariwen. It’s the Nigerian rapper’s first Grammy award.
He was nominated for the same award last year, however, it was called the Best World Album and his African Giant album lost to Angelique Kidjo’s Celia Cruz tribute album.
In his video acceptance speech, Burna chose to motivate others from his continent.
“To every African out there, no matter where you are, no matter what you plan to do, you can achieve it, no matter where you’re from because you are a king,” he said. “Look at me now! Grammy Award winning Burna Boy. Thank you to everyone!!”
Twice as Tall is widely considered the Naija artists’s most mainstream offering to date. The 15-track album includes features from Naughty By Nature, Stormzy, Chris Martin, Sauti Sol and Youssou N’Dour.
In an interview with Douglas Jekan for the Nigeria-based PGM Club, Burna explained that he wanted Twice as Tall “to build a stronger bridge between, basically, all people of color.”
“If I win a Grammy for this album, it’s because it’s a great album — just like the last one,” he said.
In regards to enlisting Diddy to help him complete the album, Burna said Twice as Tall was already about 80 percent done before Revolt’s chairman got involved. “Getting Diddy involved — first of all — me and Diddy are now one bridge. Then, it’s like a tree; it just keeps going,” he said. “Diddy didn’t take no money from me. He gets two points royalties, which he gives back to me, so I can take care of some other sh*t.”
Watch Burna Boy’s acceptance speech below: