Burna Boy has spent the last decade going from Port Harcourt to the top of world music. African Giant was nominated for a Grammy in 2020. Twice as Tall won one a year later, for Best Global Music Album. Love, Damini became the highest-debuting Nigerian album ever on the Billboard 200. Narrowing that catalogue to ten songs means leaving out records that would top most artists’ lists. These are the ten that matter most.
1. Last Last (2022)
Built on a sample of Toni Braxton’s 2000 single “He Wasn’t Man Enough”, “Last Last” is a break-up song that people sing like a victory chant. It was the second single from Love, Damini, released through Atlantic in May 2022, and Burna Boy performed it at the Billboard Music Awards just two days later.
It went on to win Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year at The Headies 2023.
2. Ye (2018)
Produced by Phantom and released in August 2018 as the sixth single from Outside, “Ye” was the song that carried Burna Boy into American radio, reaching the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
At home it cleaned up. It won Song of the Year at The Headies 2019 and Song of the Year at the Soundcity MVP Awards the same year.
3. Anybody (2019)
“Anybody” is African Giant at its most joyful. It samples Angelique Kidjo’s “We We”, which ties Burna Boy’s sound back to one of the great voices of West African music. He took it to American television too, performing it on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
It is a good example of what he does best: taking something rooted at home and making it sound completely at ease anywhere in the world.
4. On the Low (2018)
Kel-P produced “On the Low”, the second single from African Giant, released in November 2018.
It won Viewers’ Choice at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards. It was also one of four songs, along with “Gbona”, “Omo” and “Spiritual”, that Burna Boy recorded on the same day.
5. Killin Dem (with Zlatan, 2019)
Put Burna Boy’s melodies next to Zlatan’s street-rap swagger and you get “Killin Dem”, one of the loudest records on African Giant. The contrast is the point. Zlatan’s bars are sharp and cocky, and Burna Boy glides over the top.
It won Song of the Year at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards.
6. Location (Dave featuring Burna Boy, 2019)
This one is technically Dave’s song, the third single from the British rapper’s debut album Psychodrama, but Burna Boy’s hook is what everyone remembers. It showed how naturally his sound could sit inside UK rap.
“Location” reached the top ten in the UK and has been certified five times platinum by the BPI, for over three million in chart sales.
7. Monsters You Made (featuring Chris Martin, 2020)
The most political song on Twice as Tall is also one of his best. “Monsters You Made” deals with historical injustice, slavery and miseducation, and connects African and African American experiences of prejudice. Coldplay’s Chris Martin sings on it, and the Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo delivers a spoken outro.
It is angry and heavy in a way his party records never are, and it helped make Twice as Tall a Grammy winner.
8. City Boys (2023)
“City Boys” was the fifth single from I Told Them…, produced by MD$ and Ruuben, and it samples Jeremih’s 2009 hit “Birthday Sex”. It is Burna Boy in full boastful mode, and it works because he sounds like he is enjoying himself.
It was nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Grammy Awards.
9. Kilometre
“Kilometre” was the first single from Love, Damini, released ahead of “Last Last”. It set up the album before “Last Last” took over, and the two make a strong pair played back to back.
10. Way Too Big (2020)
A violin line runs under “Way Too Big” as Burna Boy talks about staying away from bad company and trusting his own path. It is one of the most self-assured songs on Twice as Tall, and it plays like a mission statement for the whole album.
It may not be his biggest hit, but it sums up the confidence that has carried him from Port Harcourt to Grammy stages.
Burna Boy’s full album catalogue is on his AfroYard artist page, with previews of every track.
