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Burna Boy’s ‘I Told Them’ makes history as first African album to claim UK’s top spot

Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, professionally known as Burna Boy, has attained yet another milestone as his album emerges as the UK’s number one album

• September 2, 2023
Burna Boy performing on stage
Burna Boy [Credit: bet.com]

Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, professionally known as Burna Boy, has attained yet another milestone as his album emerges as the UK’s number one album.

Burna Boy’s seventh studio album dubbed “I Told Them,” earned him the title of becoming the first African artiste with such a feat.

The new stride was announced on Friday via X by Official Charts Company. 

“Burna Boy (@ burnaboy) celebrating his first Official Number 1 album #ITOLDTHEM on stage at London’s @RoundhouseLDN is a moment. Congrats on making Official Charts HISTORY, Damini,” it said.

“I Told Them” was released on August 25, with features from Seyi Vibes, home-grown British artiste Dave, American rappers GZA, RZA, J. Cole, 21 Savage, and Jamaican singer Byron Messia.

A few weeks before the album dropped, a snippet of his track, City Boy, emerged as a viral TikTok trend.

Though his statement about Afrobeats having “no substance” before the release of his album casts a shadow of doubt on the genre, the album’s feat cannot be denied as it continues to rip charts apart.

“Afrobeats, as people call it, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing. There’s no substance to it — like, nobody is talking about anything in it. It’s just a great time,” he said in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, where he also reiterated that his sounds are more Afrofusion.

His statement sparked widespread retorts from music lovers, including industry colleagues like Joeboy, who spoke up in a recent interview.

The album’s first single, “Sittin on Top of the World,” was released in May and a month later, Burna Boy recruited American 21 Savage on the remix.

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