Why Burna Boy turned down $5 million Dubai gig
Nigerian Grammy-winning artiste, Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, recently disclosed that he turned down a $5 million (Sh754,500,000) offer to perform in Dubai, UAE, due to his inability to smoke weed while there.
Weed is a street term that refers to marijuana, or bhang, a drug prohibited in Kenya and many African countries, but legal in some parts of the world.
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The Dubai law strictly prohibits smoking in public recreational areas, including parks and beaches.
During a rehearsal with his band, Outsiders, Burna Boy expressed his decision, saying, “I just turned down Dubai money; $5 million is a small thing because I don’t like going where they won’t let me smoke weed.”
Video:
https://x.com/wetalksound/status/1719336905655923132?s=20
The talented musician’s principled stance on his smoking preferences highlights his commitment to his art and personal choices.
Despite the substantial financial incentive, he remains unwavering in his resolve to maintain his artistic freedom and lifestyle.
This revelation has sparked discussions about the influence of regulations and cultural norms on artists’ decisions to perform in certain locations. Burna Boy’s honesty about his decision sheds light on the complexities of balancing artistic expression with the legal and cultural restrictions in various parts of the world.
Nonetheless, Burna Boy continues to live up to his moniker ‘African Giant’ as he just recently got two of some of his greatest hits – ‘Alone’ and ‘Gbona’ – certified gold and platinum by the French music trade body the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP), which tracks music sales in the European country.
‘Alone’, off the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By soundtrack is now certified gold after crossing 15 million digital streams. The movie soundtrack was released in November last year via Roc Nation Records/Def Jam Recordings/Hollywood Records. It features other African stars like Nigeria’s Rema, Ckay, Tems, Fireboy DML, and South Africa’s DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna, and Busiswa.
On the other hand, ‘Gbona’ (2019), off Burna Boy’s African Giant album, is now a platinum record after amassing 30 million streams.
The achievements add to a growing list of digital triumphs by the Grammy winner, who went gold in France for his sixth studio album, Love, Damini, earlier this month. In July last year, SNEP confirmed that Burna Boy’s 2019 hit ‘On The Low’ had been officially certified diamond in France more than two years after its release.
Burna Boy’s latest feats arrive on the heels of his nomination alongside Rema, Wizkid, and Tems, as well as Cameroonian singer Libianca in the Top Afrobeats Artist category at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards slated to air on 19 November.