Entertainment

Burna Boy’s Album Twice As Tall Nominated For The 2021 Grammy Awards

Nigerian Afro Pop Superstar Burna Boy has been nominated for the 2021 Grammys. This is his second Grammy nomination, on the back of his 2020 nomination for his album African Giant which he lost to Anqelique Kidjo’s reimagination of Celia Cruz’s music on the eponymous, Celia.

The singer was nominated under the World Music Album alongside Antibalas, Bebel Gilberto, Anoushka Shankar and Tianariwen.

The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards is slated to hold on January 31, 2021 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It will recognize the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020.

Here’s is a few of the categories

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM:

FU Chronicles — Antibalas
Twice As Tall — Burna Boy
Agora — Bebel Gilberto
Love Letters — Anoushka Shankar
Amadjar — Tinariwen

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) — Black Pumas
Everyday Life — Coldplay
Djesse Vol. 3 — Jacob Collier
Women In Music Pt. III — Haim
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Hollywood’s Bleeding — Post Malone
Folklore — Taylor Swift

RECORD OF THE YEAR:

“Black Parade” — Beyoncé
“Colors” — Black Pumas
“Rockstar” — DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
“Say So” — Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now” — Dua Lipa
“Circles” — Post Malone
“Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé

SONG OF THE YEAR:

“Black Parade” — Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“The Box” — Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Cardigan” — Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Circles” — Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post & Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)
“Don’t Start Now” — Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa & Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“I Can’t Breathe” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“If The World Was Ending” — Julia Michaels & JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels)

Also Read: A Better Time: Davido’s Album Sets New Record For Streams

NEW ARTIST:

Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion

POP SOLO PERFORMANCE:

“Yummy“ — Justin Bieber
“Say So“ — Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted“ — Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now“ — Dua Lipa
“Watermelon Sugar“ — Harry Styles
“Cardigan“ — Taylor Swift

POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE:

“Un Dia (One Day)” — J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy
“Intentions” — Justin Bieber Featuring Quavo
“Dynamite” — BTS
“Rain On Me” — Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
“Exile” — Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver

POP VOCAL ALBUM:

Changes — Justin Bieber
Chromatica — Lady Gaga
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Fine Line — Harry Styles
Folklore — Taylor Swift

ROCK ALBUM:

A Hero’s Death — Fontaines D.C.
Kiwanuka — Michael Kiwanuka
Daylight — Grace Potters
Sound & Fury — Sturgill Simpson
The New Abnormal — The Stroke

ROCK SONG:

“Kyoto” — Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler & Marshall Vore, Songwriters (Phoebe Bridgers)
“Lost In Yesterday” — Kevin Parker, Songwriter (Tame Impala)
“Not” — Adrianne Lenker, Songwriter (Big Thief)
“Shameika” — Fiona Apple, Songwriter (Fiona Apple)
“Stay High” — Brittany Howard, Songwriter (Brittany Howard)

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM:

Fetch The Bolt Cutters — Fiona Apple
Hyperspace — Beck
Punisher — Phoebe Bridgers
Jaime — Brittany Howard
The Slow Rush — Tame Impala

R&B ALBUM:

Happy 2 Be Here — Ant Clemons
Take Time — Giveon
To Feel Loved — Luke James
Bigger Love — John Legend
All Rise — Gregory Porter

PROGRESSIVE R&B ALBUM:

Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
Ungodly Hour — Chloe X Halle
Free Nationals — Free Nationals
F*** Yo Feelings — Robert Glasper
It Is What It Is — Thundercat

TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE:

“Sit On Down” — The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor
“Wonder What She Thinks Of Me” — Chloe X Halle
”Let Me Go” — Mykal Kilgore
“Anything For You” — Ledisi
“Distance” — Yebba

R&B PERFORMANCE:

“Lightning & Thunder“ — Jhené Aiko Featuring John Legend
“Black Parade“ — Beyoncé
“All I Need“ — Jacob Collier Featuring Mahalia & Ty Dolla $ign
“Goat Head“ — Brittany Howard
“See Me“ — Emily King

R&B SONG:

“Better Than I Imagine” — Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, Songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)
“Black Parade” — Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, Songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Collide” — Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi, Songwriters (Tiana Major9 & Earthgang)
“Do It” — Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende, Songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
“Slow Down” — Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)

TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE:

“Sit On Down” — The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor
“Wonder What She Thinks Of Me” — Chloe X Halle
”Let Me Go” — Mykal Kilgore
“Anything For You” — Ledisi
“Distance” — Yebba

RAP ALBUM:

Black Habits — D Smoke
Alfredo — Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
A Written Testimony — Jay Electronica
King’s Disease — Nas
The Allegory — Royce Da 5’9

RAP SONG:

“The Bigger Picture” — Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew & Rai’shaun Williams, songwriters (Lil Baby)
“The Box” — Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Laugh Now, Cry Later” — Durk Banks, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour & Ryan Martinez, songwriters (Drake Featuring Lil Durk)
“Rockstar” — Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch)
“Savage” — Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)

GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG:

“Wonderful Is Your Name” — Melvin Crispell III
“Release (LIVE)” — Ricky Dillard Featuring Tiff Joy; David Frazier, Songwriter
“Come Together” — Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins Presents: The Good News; Lashawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Lecrae Moore & Jazz Nixon, Songwriters
“Won’t Let Go” — Travis Greene; Travis Greene, Songwriter
“Movin’ On” — Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music; Darryl L. Howell, Jonathan Caleb Mcreynolds, Kortney Jamaal Pollard & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, Songwriters

GOSPEL ALBUM:

2econd Wind: Ready — Anthony Brown & Group Therapy
My Tribute — Myron Butler
Choirmaster — Ricky Dillard
Gospel According To Pj — Pj Morton
Kierra — Kierra Sheard

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG:

“The Blessing (LIVE)” — Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes & Elevation Worship; Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe Carnes & Steven Furtick, Songwriters
“Sunday Morning” — Lecrae Featuring Kirk Franklin; Denisia Andrews, Jones Terrence Antonio, Saint Bodhi, Brittany Coney, Kirk Franklin, Lasanna Harris, Shama Joseph, Stuart Lowery, Lecrae Moore & Nathanael Saint-Fleur, Songwriters
“Holy Water We The Kingdom” — Andrew Bergthold, Ed Cash, Franni Cash, Martin Cash & Scott Cash, Songwriters
“Famous For (I Believe)” — Tauren Wells Featuring Jenn Johnson; Chuck Butler, Krissy Nordhoff, Jordan Sapp, Alexis Slifer & Tauren Wells, Songwriters
“There Was Jesus” — Zach Williams & Dolly Parton; Casey Beathard, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, Songwriters

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM:

Run to the Father — Cody Carnes
All of My Best Friends — Hillsong Young & Free
Holy Water — We The Kingdom
Citizen of Heaven — Tauren Wells
Jesus Is King — Kanye West

Trane’s Delight — Poncho Sanchez

MUSIC VIDEO:

“Brown Skin Girl,” Beyoncé — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Jenn Nkiru, Video Directors; Lauren Baker, Astrid Edwards, Nathan Scherrer & Erinn Williams, Video Producers
“Life Is Good Future,” featuring Drake — Julien Christian Lutz, Video Director; Harv Glazer, Video Producer
“Lockdown,” Anderson .Paak — Dave Meyers, Video Director; Nathan Scherrer, Video Producer
“Adore You,” Harry Styles — Dave Meyers, Video Director; Nathan Scherrer, Video Producer
“Goliath” — Woodkid Yoann Lemoine, Video Director

Entertainment

Davido Charges Entertainers To Speak Up More Amidst Worsening Insecurity

Davido, the Nigerian singer, has said entertainers are not doing enough to speak out against the country’s growing insecurity. The singer, via the social media platform X called on entertainers to speak more about the challenges facing the country.

In the post, Davido admitted that entertainers, including himself, had not done enough to speak out against injustice and the worsening state of affairs in Nigeria. He added that Nigerian entertainers must begin using their platforms to draw attention to the problems affecting citizens.

He wrote, “I can’t lie, we entertainers… we dey f**k up, I won’t lie, including me. We need to speak up. It’s too much injustice going on. Our country don go.”

The singer also maintained that he is not part of any “City Boy” group, insisting that he had spoken against the government in the past.

This comes after a social media user criticised him for not being sincere

“I no dey part of any City Boy group. When I called out the government on American media, you guys rained curses on me,” Davido wrote.

He added that his relationship with “ST” was only personal and did not mean he belonged to any political group.

The singer added, “I’ve been friends with ST for years, and that’s where it stops, and I call and complain to him all the time, even in person.” The singer’s remark comes amid increased calls from celebrities who are calling out the country’s leadership over rising insecurity.

Celebs

‘I smoked 40 sticks a day for 13 years’: Ebuka opens up on nicotine addiction as Banky W revisits porn struggle

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu says he smoked up to 40 cigarettes daily for 13 years, while Banky W revisited his past pornography addiction on Mentality with Ebuka. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has revealed that he began smoking in JSS3 and spent the next 13 years addicted to cigarettes, reaching a peak of two packs, roughly 40 sticks, every single day by the time he was in university.

The television host disclosed the latest episode of his podcast Mentality with Ebuka, which aired on Friday, May 22. The episode featured singer and pastor Banky W and medical content creator Aproko Doctor in a candid conversation about addiction, its origins, and the long road out of it.

“I started smoking in JSS3, which is crazy young,” Ebuka said. “It was basically peer pressure, wanting to prove myself, wanting to belong. By the time I was done with secondary school, I had become full-on. Got into university, and by university, I was doing about two packs a day. That’s about 40 sticks of cigarettes every single day.”

He added that his exit from the habit was less a dramatic decision and more a test of willpower. “The last stick of cigarettes I had was in February 2008. I didn’t quit. I just kept saying let me see how much longer I will hold out for, and now it’s been almost 18 years.”

Banky W used the same platform to revisit a confession he had made publicly before, his years-long struggle with pornography addiction, tracing it back to a freshman dormitory in a New York university where a classmate had shared an open hard drive filled with explicit content accessible to the entire floor.

“I wonder how many of us got trapped in that moment,” he said. He described the experience of trying to stop as a confrontation with something far more entrenched than he had anticipated.

“When it’s now time to stop, you realise you’re dealing with demons that are much stronger than you. That was where the reality dawned on me.” He said it took a deliberate journey to reach a place of freedom, and that he has since addressed the issue openly from the pulpit, part of what he described as a growing willingness among pastors to tackle subjects previously considered too uncomfortable for the church.

The episode is the latest in Ebuka’s Mentality series, which has carved out a space for honest, personal conversations that Nigerian public figures rarely have on record.

Entertainment

Kizz Daniel announces that he will be releasing two albums in 2026

After posting his initially scheduled ‘Uncle K’ album in 2025, the hitmaker is making up for it by releasing two projects in 2026. Afrobeats superstar Kizz Daniel is gearing up for a busy year as he announces plans to release two albums.

On May 15, 2026, the hitmaker shared a post on his Instagram story unveiling the titles of two albums he intends to release later in the year. The revelation comes days after he teased what’s expected to be his first release of the year.

“Two albums this year. Thanks for your love and patience,” he posted on his Instagram story.

The prospective projects titled ‘Uncle K’ and ‘Radio Gidi’ will be a follow-up to his 2025 EP ‘Uncle K: Lemon Chase’, which had 7 tracks with guest appearances from FOLA, rapper Odumodublvk, and street pop star Bella Shmurda.

Back in 2025, the award-winning star had earlier shared his plans to release the album ‘Uncle K’ before postponing it after losing his mother-in-law and later releasing the EP that serves as a teaser for what listeners should expect.

With two albums scheduled for 2026, Kizz Daniel appears to be making up for not releasing an LP since the 20-track album ‘Maverick’ in July 2023. In 2024, he dazzled with the hit-filled four-track EP ‘TZA,’ which spawned the hit records ‘Sooner,’ ‘Too Busy To Be Bae,’ and ‘Twe Twe.’

Known for his ability to coin hit records that ride on the familiarity of language and musical simplicity to attract listeners across demographics, fans will be expecting a handful of hit records from his upcoming album.

So far in 2026, he has delivered a guest verse on G4ZI’s ‘Energy’. With his upcoming single expected to be released in the coming weeks, he appears ready for an explosive summer.

In a career that has spanned a decade, Kizz Daniel has become one of Afrobeats’ most reliable hitmakers, with his music finding eager listenership among millions of fans drawn to his witty lyricism and catchy melodies.