Nigerian music scene takes another lap of global recognition as two of its brightest stars, Tochukwu Gbubemi Ajogwu, aka Odumodublvck, and Afrobeats star Burna Boy, have bagged nominations for the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards. While Nigeria is struggling with issues that shouldn’t even make headlines, the world is recognizing our talents, because why not?
The full list of nominees, dropped by BET on Thursday, has Odumodublvck going for ‘Best International Flow’, a category that, let’s be honest, hasn’t really been synonymous with Nigerian artists, until now. Burna Boy, on the other hand, is up for ‘Best Live Performance’, because if there’s one thing Burna can do, it’s shut down a stage.
Odumodublvck’s rise to fame has been nothing short of explosive. In 2023, he made waves, storming the mainstream with a unique sound that finally has hip hop fans in Africa and the world paying attention. Now, he’s not just “one of Nigeria’s biggest hip-hop stars.” he’s the first Nigerian artist to land a nomination in the ‘Best International Flow’ category at the BET Hip Hop Awards. If that’s not a slap in the face of all those who think Nigerian hip hop can’t go toe-to-toe with the big names, I don’t know what is. Naija to the world!
But before we get too carried away with the hype, Odumodublvck is up against serious competition from other countries. He’s battling it out with rappers from France, Brazil, the UK, and South Africa. Winning this would mark a massive victory, not just for him, but for Nigerian rap, which has often been sidelined by the overwhelming dominance of Afrobeats on the global stage.
Speaking of global dominance, Burna Boy, as usual, refuses to be left out. Burna, with his nomination for ‘Best Live Performance’, is going head-to-head with some of the biggest names in the game Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Drake (yes, even Drake), Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, and GloRilla. Just a few of the top-tier de la creme in the industry, nothing much. Burna is no stranger to this kind of competition, and he’s proven time and again that he’s got the chops to take on anyone on stage.
Megan Thee Stallion is leading this year’s nominations with 12 nods, and Kendrick Lamar isn’t too far behind with 11. Burna Boy and Odumodublvck? Each sitting pretty with one nomination. Just one.
Still, the fact that Odumodublvck is even in this conversation is a huge deal. It’s a reminder that Nigerian music whether it’s rap or Afrobeats, isn’t just making waves locally; it’s making a global splash. So while we watch and wait, Nigerian artists are no longer begging for a seat at the table, they’re taking it. As we all know “Naija no dey carry last”
