Burna Boy made Afrobeats take center stage at the 2024 Grammys Awards Sunday night (Feb. 4) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Earlier in the broadcast, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. introduced the “superstar from Nigeria,” who started his performance with “On Form,” then stomped his way into “City Boys” with his boys. He eventually escorted 12-time Grammy nominee Brandy down to the main stage for “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” which samples her 1998 Mase-assisted track “Top of the World,” and 11-time Grammy nominee 21 Savage, who’s featured on the remix. Savage was up for five awards Sunday.
“Sittin’ on Top of the World” was released on June 1, 2023, as the lead single of Burna’s seventh studio album I Told Them…. The song peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 on Rhythmic Airplay, while its parent album I Told Them… peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on World Albums.
Burna was nominated for four Grammys: best African music performance (“City Boys”), best global music album (I Told Them…), best global music performance (“Alone”) and best melodic rap performance (“Sittin’ on Top of the World” with 21 Savage). This year’s Grammys marks the first time best African music performance was awarded, and Tyla won for “Water.”
The 10-time Grammy nominee won his first and only award in 2021 for best global music album with his fifth studio album Twice as Tall.
