Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu MFR[3] (born 2 July 1991),[2] known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer.[4][1][5] He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing “Like to Party”, the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed with Bad Habit/Atlantic Records in the United States and Warner Music Group internationally. His third studio album Outside (2018) marked his major-label debut. In 2019, he won Best International Act at the 2019 BET Awards, and was announced as Apple Music Up Next artist that year. His fourth studio album, titled African Giant, was released in July 2019. It won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[7][8] He was awarded African Artist of the Year at the 2020 Ghana Music Awards. Burna Boy released his fifth studio album, Twice as Tall, in August 2020. It won Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[9][10] He won Best International Act at the 2021 BET Awards. Burna Boy’s sixth studio album, Love, Damini, was released in July 2022 and became the highest debut of an African album on the Billboard 200 chart. It also became the highest charted African album in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and France.[11] In October, Burna Boy was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic plaque for his achievements in music.[12] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked him number 197 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time.[13] Burna Boy won Bet International Act at the 2023 BET Awards, making it his fourth win in the category.[14] He won The Headies Afrobeats Single of the Year category and also the Song of the Year for “Last Last”. Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu was born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.[16] His mother, Bose Ogulu worked as a language translator, and his father, Samuel, managed a welding company. His maternal grandfather, Benson Idonije once managed Fela Kuti.[17][18] His mother later became his manager.[19] Ogulu grew up in Southern Nigeria and began making his own beats using FL Studio.[17][20] He attended Corona Secondary School in Agbara, Ogun State, and relocated to London, England, to further his studies.[17][21] He studied media technology at the University of Sussex from 2008 to 2009,[22] and also studied media communications and culture at Oxford Brookes University from 2009 to 2010.[23] Burna Boy returned to Port Harcourt and took up a year-long internship at Rhythm 93.7 FM.[23] He launched his music career after returning to Lagos.