Burna Boy claims the industry gatekeepers did everything to break him

In a recent interview on the Afropolitan Podcast, Obi Asika Nigerian iconic music executive and the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC spoke on the challenges Burna Boy faced on his way to stardom. According to Asika, Burna Boy struggled to get a slot to perform for free. “This same Burna Boy that’s a million dollars plus today, they be blocking him…He’s from Port Harcourt, he’s not from Lagos, so they be blocking him,” he said on the podcast. “The same Burna Boy has bypassed everybody and exploded and now he can’t be blocked anymore,” he added on the success of the Grammy winner. Reacting to Asika’s statement, Burna Boy said it doesn’t cover up to half of what he experienced. He also claimed these actors are still attempting to block him. “This is not even half of the story. They did everything they possibly could to break me, they are even still trying their best lol but all they did was create this unquenchable FIRE that will continue to burn them for eternity.” Burna Boy has in the past claimed that several individuals in the Nigerian music industry including the media blacklisted him. This alleged bad faith and attacks have been blamed for his dislike for the Nigerian music ecosystem, which he constantly condescends to. Burna Boy had a troubled start to his career, which strained his relationship with the media and the music ecosystem. Asa Asika’s recent statement provides some clarity on this issue that appears to remain a chip on the megastar’s shoulders. You can watch Asa Asika’s full interview on the Afropolitan podcast below.