Burna Boy Brings Nigeria to New York at Sold-Out Madison Square Garden Show: Concert Review
30.04.2022 - 02:15
/ variety.com
Emanuel Okusanya Over the last decade, Afrobeat has blossomed from a continental staple into a global sound, with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and even Ed Sheeran incorporating the genre into their music and cosign the culture. The genre reached a new peak with Burna Boy’s concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Thursday, which certified him as the first Nigerian artist to headline a concert at the legendary arena.The show opened with a small welcoming speech by legendary rapper Busta Rhymes, who thanked the crowd — which was overwhelmingly West African — for their rich culture and warm embrace when he visited Nigeria.
He spoke of Burna Boy’s connection to New York and why the show was more than just a standard concert, but rather an indicator of a new era in music. With elaborate lighting and an array of dancers, Burna Boy was joined by his band The Outsiders, along with longtime collaborator, Senegalese singer, Youssou N’Dour.
They performed “Level Up”, from the 2020 album “Twice as Tall,” as the African drums resounded into every corner of the arena.The crowd got wilder as Burna went deeper into the set, shouting the lyrics and even throwing several bras at him onstage — which he did not discourage, asking for more after the first landed onstage.Later in the show Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, announced his forthcoming sixth studio album “Love, Damini,” due on his birthday, July 2, to screams from the audience. He then transitioned into a new song from the album, which samples Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough for Me.”As his 2019 smash “On the Low” began, many fans left their seats and began dancing in the aisles.
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