Entertainment
Burna Boy talks about the inspiration behind his new album ‘I Told Them’
Burna Boy is set to release his seventh album ‘I Told Them’.
In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Burna Boy talked about the inspiration behind his new album while also paying tribute to the late creative designer Virgil Abloh and rapper Sidhu.
Ahead of the release of his seventh album, Burna Boy shared insight into his journey, finding success on his own terms, his view of Afrobeats, and collaborating with J Cole and RZA of Wutang Clan.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music What Sets His New Album ‘I Told Them’ Apart
It kind of showed me exactly the way I wanted to express what I was feeling and what my unit was feeling. The spirit of my unit. Just put that in because this is every day. This is a side that people don’t really get to see because I don’t really care for anyone to see. I have fun with it like this. But I felt like this time, this is a way… How do I put it?
A more understandable way to pass that feeling and that energy across. And at the same time, showing you that’s… Not you. Showing everyone, really, that the combination of worlds is something that we haven’t really capitalized on. Because at the end of the day, once we’re all unified, everything else, the fruits of that just take care of everything.”
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About the Meaning of the Album Title
They say a lot of times that prophets are not really recognizing their own home and shit. So 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. 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 it, and then they end up seeing it. There’s no greater feeling.”
Burna Boy on the Type of Credit He Wants
I’m not going to say I don’t want credit because everyone wants credit for what they do and shit. For me, it’s more like I want credit from places where it actually matters. Even though in reality don’t mean nothing but places where you can say why, you can explain and it makes sense to everybody.
That’s the type of shit I want. I want to go somewhere where it’s like they see the work and they see everything, the journey, and everything, and they’re like, “This is amazing. Yeah, congratulations.” That’s the type of shit that means something. You don’t get that in my country. It means something to the people who are not part of the game in a way. It means something to people who have nothing to gain or lose and no stakes in the matter.
Burna Boy on Being Proud of His Accomplishments
That’s the thing I’ve beat my chest the most about. It’s the fact that, yeah, not only did I do it on my own terms and all that, I did it against all odds. You know what I mean? And against the wishes of the powers that be in my environment. You know what I mean? So yeah, it’s something I’m really proud of.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Virgil Abloh’s Influence
Especially like Virgil was the heart of this s**t. You know what I mean? The heart of the whole fashion world, especially for us Black. Not just that, it’s just the cool creativity in the man’s head. This is the difference. You look at something, he looks at it, and you are seeing different colors than each, you know what I mean? It’s crazy.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Looking Up To J. Cole
The truth is often hidden, but when you come across it and you are a person of truth yourself, you can’t help but recognize it. You know what I mean? That’s really the story of me and J Cole. It’s like, I recognize it.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Embracing Substance in Afrobeats
…you hear most Nigerian music, or I’ll say African… I don’t even know what to say, Afrobeats, as people call it, it’s mostly about nothing, literally nothing. There’s no substance to it. Nobody’s talking about anything. It’s just a great time, it’s an amazing time. But at the end of the day, life is not an amazing time.
No matter how nice of a time you’re having now or you had at some point or you plan to have, you’re still going to face life. So it’s like, for me, I feel like music should be that, music should be the essence of the artist, you understand?
An artist is a person, like me speaking for myself, the artist is a person who has good days, bad days, great days, and worst days. And for me, if I give you something like this with my face on it, and my name, then I should be giving you that experience. That should be a window for you to see some of that essence.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Collaborating with RZA
Yeah, it’s been a great honour, man. He wasn’t there. We weren’t personally in the studio together when he did it, but when he sent the first draft to me, I could just feel the energy, it’s like most of the shit is about, he’s connecting things that have to do with photography, shit that has to do with the vision, like photographic shit. And he’s made the whole thing, he combined and interlocked and it’s just crazy.
Burna Boy Tells Apple Music “If I’m Lying” Is His Best Song Yet
I feel like it’s my best song ever… It’s spiritual.
Burna Boy on Fela Kuti
I am grateful for the fact that he existed in his time so that we could get and experience the true organic nature of what he was and the essence of what he stood for and the message he passed across to us.
Burna Boy on His First Impressions of New York
To me, it looked just like Lagos, only with more tall buildings closer together. The same energy as Lagos. It’s the same… Everybody’s in a hurry. I felt like, “Wow. This can’t be what they’ve been showing me on TV.” This doesn’t look like TV land… this place is very sentimental for me because starting from PlayStation theater all the way to Citi Field now. It’s been a journey.
Burna Boy on the Benefits of Traveling the World
Man, the more I see the world and the more I experience just makes me understand myself a bit more, understand why things are the way they are a bit more. I just have a lot of answers to a lot of questions I used to have and previously didn’t have answers for.
Entertainment
Jackson 5 legend, Tito Jackson, dies at 70
Tito Jackson, an original member of the iconic Jackson 5 and brother of the late Michael Jackson, has died at 70.
Known for his timeless hits like ABC and I Want You Back, Tito’s death was confirmed by his sons in a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday.
An official cause of death is yet to be revealed.
The Jackson family mourns the loss of another music legend.
Tito performed in the iconic ensemble with brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, who died in 2009.
Steve Manning, a long-time Jackson family friend and former Jackson family manager, told Entertainment Tonight that Jackson died on Monday.
The news was confirmed in an Instagram post by his three sons, Taj, Taryll and TJ Jackson, who were themselves an R’n’B/pop trio, 3T, in the 1990s.
“We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken,” they wrote. “Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.”
They continued, “He will be missed tremendously. It will forever be ‘Tito Time” for us.
“Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is ‘Love One Another’. We love you Pops.”
The Jackson 5’s hits included ABC, The Love You Save and I Want You Back.
Entertainment
Court bars event in memory of Mohbad
A High Court in Ogun State has imposed an interim injunction prohibiting a planned event in memory of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.
The legal team of the deceased family disclosed this in a statement signed by its representative, Monisola Odumosu, and exclusively obtained by PUNCH Metro, on Sunday.
Odumosu noted that the court’s decision, handed down by Justice O. Osunfisan, on Thursday, was in response to a motion filed by the late Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, represented by Emmanuel Oroko.
According to the statement, the injunction specifically targeted plans to host the ‘Sing for Mohbad and Win’ event, scheduled for September 12-14, 2024 in the state or any other location.
“In the motion with suit number HCT/871/2024 Justice Osunfisan ordered as follows ‘ An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the respondent whether by himself servants, agents,assigns or otherwise however called from holding any event titled ‘Sing for Mohbad and Win’ organised by the respondent which is set to be held on September 12, 13, and 14, 2024, at the Aqua Lounge or any other place pending the determination of the originating motion for interlocutory injunction dated and filed on September 6, 2024. The order of interim injunction hereby granted today, the 12 day of September 2024, is to last for seven days following the provision of the Rules of Court,” the statement read in part.
The Aloba family, who initiated the legal action, had previously appealed to the public to respect their moment of grief and refrain from commercialising the occasion by exploiting the goodwill of their late son.
Odumosu however stated that the matter was set to return to court on October 7, 2024, for the hearing of the originating motion for interlocutory injunction.
Entertainment
Mercy Johnson under fire for campaigning for APC’s Okpebholo
Mercy Johnson-Okojie, the Nollywood actress, has been criticised on social media for campaigning for Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming Edo election.
A now-viral video shows Mercy soliciting votes for Okpebholo at a rally. She also assured the crowd that the APC gubernatorial candidate will “bring positive changes” to the state.
“Are you not tired? No light, water, healthcare, security and good roads. If you will vote for senator Monday, raise your hand,” she said.
“…So when you get to that field early in the morning, vote for Monday, vote for APC, vote for the broom.”
Mercy Johnson rallying support for the APC, urging the crowd in Ward 6, Irruekpen, Esan West LGA, to vote for the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo. pic.twitter.com/7ZY7RKXJZ9
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) September 13, 2024
The video has triggered backlash on social media with critics slamming the actress for supporting the ruling party despite widespread economic hardship.
“Mercy Johnson is just a cheap opportunistic agbero with zero class and zero morality in my opinion. Imagine supporting blabbing Tinubu and now also supporting Illiterate Monday Okpebholo of all people. Talent is really not enough,” an X user wrote.
Mercy Johnson is just a cheap opportunistic agbero with zero class and zero morality in my opinion.
— Amber Ose Ibeh™ (@masurge7) September 13, 2024
Imagine supporting blabbing Tinubu and now also supporting Illiterate Monday Okpebholo of all people.
Talent is really not enough.
Mercy Johnson no try, how can she be campaigning for APC, it's her right una go talk, right to make foolish and greedy decision…
— Bush Doctor 🌿 (@f0944366) September 13, 2024
Mercy Johnson that was counting a crate of eggs lamenting,
— BENNY FEBIAN IYKE (ABIA STATE FIRST SON ✍️) (@IkechiBene65006) September 13, 2024
How costly it had become under the same Administration of APC that she played Women's wing for and supported.
She out there in Edo State supporting a ma that has refused to appear on TV to discuss what he has for Edos.
Mercy Johnson dull sha…
— EPIPHANY THE FIRST ✝️ (@Kittyprincezam2) September 13, 2024
Talent is not enough tbh, how can any reasonable person stand in for Apc And for Monday to be governor of Edo state, an illiterate.
Mercy Johnson no learn from Toyin Abraham abi.
— GBEMISOLA CFC💙 (@QUEENOFDBLUES1) September 13, 2024
Later when den ask her for Senator Monday Okpebholo promises, she go begin shout dem dey bull¥ me upandan SM, dey make crying videos, dey threaten people with police.
Make nobody cry and gaslight anybody for here later sha. https://t.co/7EsTJ4DSmX
That video by Mercy Johnson will make you understand that, politicians no really send us.
— Just Eniola 💜 (@JustEniola01) September 13, 2024
As long as they and their family are not experiencing any form of hàrdship, they will keep pushing the agenda that they are the best candidate we can ever have.
Shey b na two cups of rice… pic.twitter.com/QZOkXzE4Nj
If you all like follow mercy Johnson campaign oo. You all should know that she has cashed out. She only working for the money. Don't be foolish to follow her. If Nigeria spoil e no affect her oo. pic.twitter.com/e45sYlyUJ6
— Linzkits…(inspired world domain) (@Linzkits_FC) September 13, 2024
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