Have you ever wondered what the net worth of Burna Boy is? Burna Boy is an international Nigerian singer, rapper, and dancer who has sold out shows all over the world and even earned a Grammy.
Due to his numerous achievements and awards, Burna Boy is considered one of the best Nigerian musicians of all time.
As of May 2023, Burna Boy has a net worth of $20 million.
Table of Contents
Early Life
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria on 2 July 1991. He had a quite normal upbringing and attended Corona Secondary School in Agbara.
His father worked for a welding company, while his mother, Bose Ogulu, was a language translator before starting her career as a music manager for her own son.
Burna’s grandfather Benson Idonije was also a music manager. He’s best known for managing legendary Nigerian singer, Fela Kuti.
After finishing school, Burna went to London to continue his education. First, he studied media technology at the University of Sussex. After that, he pursued media communication at Oxford Brookes University.
Burna Boy left London and returned to Port Harcourt. There, he interned for a year for a Nigerian commercial radio station. This sparked his interest in music, which prompted the singer to go to Lagos and start his music career.
Career
In 2011, Ogulu took the stage name Burna Boy. He released a couple of mixtapes, but the rapper gained widespread popularity when he released his debut studio album, L.I.F.E. in 2013, which sold over 40,000 copies on the first day alone.
This album featured top artists such as M.I., Olamide, and Wizkid. Additionally, Nigerian producer and songwriter, Leriq, produced every song on L.I.F.E.
The album was a critical success, with critics comparing Burna Boy to Fela Kuti and Bob Marley. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.
Spaceship Entertainment
In 2015, Burna Boy started his own label called Spaceship Entertainment. He released the similarly named album, On a Spaceship in the same year.
After that, Burna released his first EP, Redemption in 2016. “Pree Me,” the lead single from the EP, was incredibly successful and debuted on Noisey, an American online music publication.
Bad Habit/Atlantic Records
Shortly after the release of his EP, Bad Habit, a sub-label of Atlantic Records, discovered the singer’s music on Spotify.
Then, Burna Boy signed a deal with Atlantic Records via his record label, Spaceship.
Outside
After only a short time, Burna Boy’s major-label debut album and third studio album, Outside, came out in 2018. The multi-genre album consisted of reggae, afrobeat, and dancehall. It also featured numerous artists like Lily Allen, J Hus, and Mabel.
This album received critical acclaim. It was ranked as one of the best Nigerian Albums in 2018 and cemented Burna Boy’s high status in the Nigerian music industry.
The lead single, “Ye,” was also the biggest song in Nigeria in 2018.
African Giant
African Giant is Burna Boy’s fourth studio album, released in 2019. This record came out shortly after Burna’s Coachella performance, his four awards at the Soundcity MVP Award Festival, and being announced as an Apple Music Up Next artist.
Needless to say, this album was a commercial success. It had hit singles including “Killin Dem,” “Gbona,” and “On the Low.”
During his sold-out African Giant Returns tour, Burna Boy recorded a new single titled “My Money, My Baby,” which is a part of the soundtrack of the blockbuster Queen and Slim.
To add, the Nigerian singer had many impressive collaborations during that time. He had a feature on Stormzy’s “Own It,” and Sam Smith’s “My Oasis.”
Moreover, he was the only featured artist on Beyonce’s The Gift.
Twice as Tall
In 2020, the sixth studio album by Burna Boy, Twice as Tall, debuted at number one on the Billboard World Album chart. This became the musician’s highest-charting project to date.
Legendary producer P Diddy and Burna’s own mother and manager served as executive producers for Twice as Tall. It earned a best global album award at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Burna had quite an impressive year in 2021. He collaborated with Justin Bieber on his song, “Loved by You.” Furthermore, he earned a feature on Jon Bellion’s “I Feel it.”
Love Damini
Burna Boy’s latest project, Love Damini, was released in July 2022. He also pre-released two singles from the album, “Last Last” and “Kilometre.”
“Last Last” peaked at number one on the Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart. It also earned a platinum certification in the U.K. and Canada and a gold certification in the United States.
Awards and Achievements
Burna Boy has had numerous achievements throughout his career.
He’s the first Nigerian artist to sell out shows at Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium in London, and Accor Arena in Paris.
Not only that, but he also had his song, “Destiny,” played at Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2022, marking a historic day in Burna Boy’s career.
The Nigerian artist won Best International Act in 2021, beating big artists like Drake and Megan Thee Stallion.
Burna Boy has been nominated for 120 different awards and earned 54 awards, including a Grammy. Some notable awards the songwriter received include:
- Song of the Year at the Headies
- Best Global Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards
- Listener’s Choice, Song of the Year, Best Male MVP, and African Artist of the Year at Soundcity MVP Awards Festival
- Album of the Year at African Music Awards
- Best Album of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards
- Best International Act at the BET Awards
- Best African Act at MTV’s Europe Music Awards
Controversies
Unfortunately, every international superstar is bound to get wrapped up in controversies and drama.
Burna Boy has had his fair share of rivalries in his career.
Beef With Davido
Both Burna Boy and Davido are Nigerian musicians who rose to prominence internationally. This frequently prompts fans and critics to compare the two to each other.
However, the feud began in 2019 when a Twitter user alleged that Davido paved the way for Burna Boy. Burna then replied that he worked hard to pave his own path.
Later, Davido announced the release of his new album in July 2020. Burna Boy then took to Snapchat where he posted: “July will be very funny and I shall laugh accordingly.”
Davido didn’t take this lightly. The social media fight continued when Davido posted a picture of himself and fellow Nigerian artist Wizkid on Twitter, captioning it: “The two greatest of all time.”
However, Burna stopped the social media war. Instead, he did what he does best, which is making music.
Burna Boy dissed Davido two separate times, claiming that Davido owes his success to his billionaire father. In “Way Too Big,” Burna sings: “I’m way too big to be messing with you.”
Though both instances don’t mention Davido by name, fans quickly associated the shady lyrics with him.
Cubana Club Incident
In June 2022, Burna Boy made headlines for yet another controversy.
The singer was visiting the Cubana club in Lagos. He was accompanied by five Nigerian policemen for security reasons.
Then, the policemen got into a physical fight with other club-goers. This resulted in the security men shooting at the people in the club.
The policemen were then detained by Lagos State Police.
It’s unclear what happened or what Burna Boy’s involvement in this situation is. The Nigerian artist maintains that he had no ties to the shooting. Though, media outlets report differently.
Burna Boy Net Worth 2023
As of May 2023, Burna Boy has an estimated net worth of $20 million. This makes him one of the richest musicians in Nigeria.
The singer earned this sizable fortune through his reputable music career. Furthermore, Burna Boy has been on multiple world tours and has numerous brand endorsements.
Endorsement Deals
Since Burna Boy has become a household name, it’s only natural that brands pay him thousands for a brand deal.
Some of the brands Burna Boy has been an ambassador of include drinks such as Martell Cognac, Havana Club 7, and Lager Beer.
The Nigerian singer also signed a brand deal with GLO, a Nigerian telecommunication company, from which he received about $20,000.
Cars
Burna Boy has an excessive love for cars, which he expressed by saying, “I remember when I used to have none. Now I can’t fit all my babies into my driveway.”
The rapper definitely has an impressive car collection. He owns eight different luxury cars.
Burna owns the following cars:
- Ferrari 458 Italia
- Lamborghini Urus Novitec
- Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible
The singer also gifted himself a Range Rover Autobiography for Christmas. Sadly, only nine months after buying it, the car caught on fire. Luckily though, the rapper wasn’t in the vehicle when the incident took place.
Burna Boy quickly treated himself to a new car to replace the Range Rover. His latest addition to his collection is a 2022 Lamborghini Urus. This car is about $200,000, excluding customs fees.
Additionally, Burna Boy owns a 2022 redesigned Range Rover. As a matter of fact, the Range Rover was designed by the singer’s sister, Nissi Ogulu.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Burna Boy’s record label?
Burna Boy started his own music label, Spaceship Entertainment, in 2015 in Nigeria. He also signed a deal with Bad Habit, a sub-label under Atlantic Records.
At the beginning of 2020, Burna went international by signing an international record deal with Warner Music Group via Atlantic Records.
This means the singer is represented by Spaceship Music in Nigeria, Bad Habit and Atlantic Records in the United States, and Warner Music internationally.
Who is Burna Boy’s best friend?
Burna Boy’s best friend was Gabriel Suronkoma, also known as Gambo. Sadly, he passed away in a tragic accident in 2016.
The Nigerian artist frequently mentions his childhood friend in interviews, songs, and speeches. Not only that, but he also dedicated most of his music to Gambo.
Burna Boy also got a tattoo in honor of his late best friend. The tattoo features his best friend’s nickname, Gambo, and covers a large portion of the artist’s stomach
Who was Burna Boy dating?
Burna Boy was in a serious relationship with British singer Stefflon Don. The couple met in 2018 at the rapper’s concert in Ghana. After that, they started officially dating in 2019.
Unfortunately, the couple broke up in 2021. Burna Boy hasn’t been in a relationship since this breakup. Burna wrote his hit single “Last Last” about his relationship with Stefflon.
Key Takeaways
The Sky Is the Limit
Burna Boy started out as a young, aspiring artist in Lagos, Nigeria. Yet, he constantly put in the effort and worked extremely hard on his music.
Burna went from collaborating with Nigerian artists and performing locally to being featured on Beyonce’s soundtrack for The Lion King.
Don’t Forget Where You Belong
The Nigerian artist constantly had his mother by his side. Bose Ogulu manages her son’s musical career and has even collected awards on his behalf.
Burna Boy is also extremely loyal to his late friend, proving that real friendships last forever.
You Can’t Make It Through Life Without Making a Few Enemies
Burna Boy has collaborated with numerous big musicians. Yet, he still has some feuds.
Burna Boy and Davido’s ongoing feud is proof that the more successful you are, the more enemies you make.
Sadly, there’s no escaping this rivalry. Even if both artists try to avoid the conflict, fans keep comparing the two artists’ success.