Grammy-winning Nigerian music star, Damini Ogulu, widely known as Burna Boy, has opened up about a time in his life when he felt more Jamaican than Nigerian.
The 34-year-old artist made this revelation during a recent interview with Capital Xtra in London. He explained that his time living in Brixton, a culturally diverse neighbourhood in the United Kingdom, played a major role in shaping this feeling.
According to him, he was surrounded mostly by Jamaicans and other Caribbean nationals, which made him form a strong bond with Jamaican culture.
“Jamaica has always been a part of me,” he said during the interview.
Burna Boy said his love for Jamaica didn’t just begin when he moved to the UK. It started much earlier, during his childhood in Nigeria.
Burna Boy recalls dad playing Jamaican music
He recalled how his father frequently played Jamaican music in their home, especially tracks by Super Cat, a legendary reggae and dancehall artist.
That early exposure, Burna Boy noted, helped him develop a deep admiration for Jamaican sound and culture.
“From my dad playing Super Cat and stuff when I was a kid to me ending up in Brixton, it’s been part of my life for a long time,” he said.
Burna Boy described his time in Brixton as eye-opening. At a time when most Nigerians in the UK were either studying or living in Peckham, he found himself in Brixton, a place known for its Caribbean population.
He said this unique environment led him to feel more Jamaican during that period of his life.
“I considered myself more Jamaican at the time simply for the fact that everyone around me was Jamaican and Caribbean,” he said.
He added that there were very few Nigerians in his immediate circle back then. Instead, his close friends were from other African and Caribbean countries, such as Gambia, Uganda, and Congo.
“There were only two Nigerians in my crew,” he recalled.
Despite his love for Jamaica and its people, Burna Boy made it clear that he has never lost touch with his Nigerian roots.
He explained that whenever he returns home to Nigeria, he fully embraces his identity as a Nigerian. However, his time in the UK, especially among Caribbean communities, allowed him to experience a different cultural identity.
“When I go back home to Nigeria, then I’m really a Nigerian. But when I was here, I’m Jamaican,” he said.
Burna Boy also acknowledged the strong Jamaican influence on his music. He said reggae and dancehall played a major role in shaping his unique sound, which blends Afrobeat with global genres.
He has often been praised for fusing African rhythms with Caribbean vibes, creating a sound that resonates across continents.
This cross-cultural musical style has earned him global recognition, including a Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Global Music Album.
This is not the first time Burna Boy has spoken fondly about Jamaica. In past interviews, he referred to the country as “home” and expressed his deep appreciation for its people, music, and culture.
His connection to the island nation goes beyond just music. From 2019 to 2021, Burna Boy was in a relationship with British-Jamaican rapper Stefflon Don. The high-profile romance further tied him to Jamaican culture and brought attention to his admiration for the Caribbean.
Over the years, Burna Boy has grown into one of Africa’s biggest music exports. While his Nigerian heritage remains central to his identity, his global outlook is shaped by the places and people he has encountered along the way, including Jamaica.
His story is a testament to how music and culture can bridge nations, break boundaries, and shape personal identity.
As Burna Boy continues to rise on the global stage, his unique blend of African and Caribbean influences remains one of his greatest strengths.
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