Burna Boy and Wizkid are, at this point, probably indisputably the most prominent and recognizable Afro-fusion artists in the US. If you ask any music fan to name a Nigerian artist, the odds are pretty high that one of the two (or Davido) will be the first names mentioned. While Burna became the first Nigerian artist to headline Madison Square Garden, Wizkid’s “Essence” is widely regarded as one of the biggest songs of 2021. So, when the two decide to collaborate, it’s always special.
Picking up where they left off with their January collaboration “Ginger,” Burna and Wizkid reunite for the upbeat “B. d’Or,” which is named for the Ballon d’Or (“Golden Ball”) soccer trophy for extraordinary male players. Produced by P2J, the same name behind the dominant “Essence,” the track incorporates beatboxing within its propulsive, tropical sounds as the two artists compare themselves to past winners of the prestigious trophy like Lionel Messi, asserting that they’ve earned similar levels of recognition.
Wizkid and Burna are set to headline Afro Nation, the biggest afrobeats festival in the world, in Portugal next July along with Megan Thee Stallion, solidifying their claim as the biggest afrobeats artists in the world — and when there’s a trophy for that, you can bet they’ll be the ones taking it home.
Listen to “B. d’Or” above.