Nigerian sensation Burna Boy has once again taken the music scene by storm with the release of his highly anticipated album, I Told Them. This 15-track masterpiece is a blend of Afrobeat rhythms, R&B melodies, and hip-hop influences, showcasing Burna Boy's signature style that has continued to shake up the world. In the past few weeks, Burna Boy’s built up the anticipation with a handful of singles. He held down the summer with the release of “Talibans II” alongside Byron Messia and shared the 21 Savage-assisted banger, “Sittin On Top Of The World.”
I Told Them finds Burna Boy diving deeper into hip-hop influences more so than in the past. In addition to 21 Savage, he enlisted J. Cole who appears on “Thanks,” which is apparently one of two collaborations they have together. Additionally, he called on British rap titan Dave, who he previously collaborated with on “Location,” for their new collab, “Cheat On Me.” However, it doesn’t stop there. The Wu-Tang Clan’s presence is felt across the project as both RZA and GZA appear on the project on “12 Jewels” and the title track, respectively.
Burna Boy’s Reign Continues
In the past few years, Burna Boy’s helped usher African sounds into the United States. His consistency transformed him into a trailblazer in the music industry, one that has undoubtedly played a role in major labels’ newfound interest in Afrobeats. Since the release of projects like African Giant and Twice As Tall, Burna Boy has continued to elevate his career through his global appeal, especially with his ability to integrate different sounds into his own.
During a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Burna Boy explained the significance of the title. “This one is for the part of my own home and the people in my own home who didn’t believe or doubt it, or still doubt, or any type of thing. And not just them, it’s like everyone that ever heard me speak in the past or when I’d first started,” he explained. “You can go back to my old tweets and stuff. I basically predicted everything that’s happening now. So this is basically that. It’s fun to tell people something is true, and they doubt, and then they end up seeing it. There’s no greater feeling.” Check out the project above.