{"id":1399,"date":"2025-10-06T16:19:56","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T16:19:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1399"},"modified":"2025-10-06T16:19:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T16:19:58","slug":"fela-influenced-me-but-didnt-inspire-my-music-burna-boy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1399","title":{"rendered":"Fela influenced me, but didn\u2019t inspire my music \u2014 Burna Boy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Nigerian music star Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, has clarified the role of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti in shaping his career in a recent interview with tennis icon Roger Federer on Complex\u2019s GOAT Talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The episode, titled \u201cBurna Boy &amp; Roger Federer Debate The Best &amp; Worst Things Ever\u201d, originally aired on YouTube on September 24 and has recently resurfaced online, giving fans an intimate look at the superstar\u2019s influences, personal tastes, and the cherished traditions that shaped him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Burna Boy - Higher [Official Music Video]\" width=\"980\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eKzmRnetw-c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>During the conversation, Federer asked Burna Boy about the albums he considers the greatest of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Afro star listed a wide range of classics, including Joe\u2019s My Name Is Joe, Lil Wayne\u2019s Tha Carter III, and 2Pac\u2019s Makaveli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also emphasised all of Fela Kuti\u2019s albums. However, when pressed on which of these works inspired him the most, Burna Boy said, \u201cHonestly, none. I promise you. But, well, Fela was a big influence on me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He explained that Fela\u2019s records were part of the soundtrack of his childhood, shaping his environment and awareness of Afrobeat, even if they did not directly guide his own music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burna Boy also shared that his first albums included the Joe album he received for his 10th birthday, alongside Fela\u2019s full collection from his grandfather, emphasising that every Fela album remains a \u201cgoat album\u201d in his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFirst album, I got the Joe album for my 10th birthday gift\u2026 I got all Fela albums from my granddad. So every Fela album is a goat album. Lil Wayne\u2019s The Carter III. Tupac\u2019s Makaveli.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interview offered fans a peek into Burna Boy\u2019s broader musical taste, listing rappers like Tupac, Big Pun, J-Hus, and DMX across generations, and citing singers, including Fuji artists like Saeed Osupa, as well as global icons such as Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, and Freddie Mercury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also recounted how Freddie Mercury and Queen were part of his father\u2019s musical influence, showing a blend of both African and international inspirations in his upbringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond music, Burna Boy delved into more personal aspects of his life. He revealed the origin of his stage name, linking it to a comic-book persona he created as a child, endowed with fire powers and the ability to fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s actually how I got the name Burna Boy, because I wanted to be a character in the comic book,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also talked about family traditions, particularly Christmas, which he described as a sacred time to be home with loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the demands of a professional schedule, he emphasised the importance of spending the day together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burna Boy painted a vivid picture of family Christmas celebrations, sharing how they prioritise presence over plans. He noted the challenge of juggling careers and traditions, but highlighted that the holiday remains a time for reconnecting, sharing meals, and creating lasting memories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Food was another nostalgic topic, as Burna Boy reflected on his childhood favourites. He fondly remembered, \u201cFried yams and stew with all the meats you can get\u2026 Like beef or sausage\u2026 When I was a kid, I used to eat yams and sleep off on the bench.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Fela Kuti\u2019s music played a formative role in his upbringing, Burna Boy makes it clear that his artistic journey has been guided by his own vision and experiences. <a href=\"https:\/\/punchng.com\/fela-influenced-me-but-didnt-inspire-my-music-burna-boy\/#google_vignette\">(Punch)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nigerian music star Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, has clarified the role of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti in shaping his career in a recent interview with tennis icon Roger Federer on Complex\u2019s GOAT Talk. The episode, titled \u201cBurna Boy &amp; Roger Federer Debate The Best &amp; Worst Things Ever\u201d, originally aired on YouTube on September [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[798,1772,1773,1775,1774,1293,1776],"class_list":["post-1399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-burna-boy","tag-damini-ogulu","tag-fela-kuti","tag-joe","tag-lil-wayne","tag-roger-federer","tag-saeed-osupa"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fela influenced me, but didn\u2019t inspire my music \u2014 Burna Boy - Tona Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nigerian music star Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, has clarified the role of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti in shaping his career\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1399\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fela influenced me, but didn\u2019t inspire my music \u2014 Burna Boy - 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