I Didn’t Want To Be African When I Was Young – Burna Boy

Grammy Award winner, Burna boy has said that he didn’t want to identify as African when he was younger.

The singer who spoke to Reuters said this was because of the racial discrimination he suffered while schooling in London.

“I didn’t even want to be African when I was little. I wanted to be an American… anything but who I was, because who we are wasn’t really the cool thing to be. Back in the days when l was schooling in London, you see people trying to bully Africans,” he said.

The singer said his recent feat at the 2021 Grammy Awards was indicative of the fact that Africans have become a powerful force in the world including in the music landscape.

“It’s a big moment and a big time for African music and Africans in general. You can’t mention the top five musicians in the world without throwing me or an African in there. Now we’re eye to eye with the people we used to look up to,” he added.

The music star also noted that the award was part of a “domino effect” that gives Africans more control over the way they have hitherto been perceived through technology.

“At the end of the day, the truth never needs validation. And the truth is that we, Africans are the root, beginning and the seed,” he said.