Grammy-winning Nigerian artist Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has opened up about a period in his life when he identified more with Jamaican culture than his Nigerian roots.
Speaking during an interview with Capital Xtra London, Burna Boy shared that his time living in Brixton, United Kingdom, surrounded by Jamaicans and Caribbean culture, had a lasting influence on him.
“Jamaica has always been a part of me — from my dad playing Super Cat and stuff when I was a kid to me ending up in Brixton, when almost every Nigerian in the UK was either in school or in Peckham. I ended up in Brixton,” he recalled.
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Reflecting on that phase of his life, the Afrofusion star explained how deeply immersed he was in Jamaican culture:
“So, I considered myself more Jamaican at the time simply for the fact that everyone around me was Jamaican and Caribbean. There were minimal Nigerians around me at that time. When I go back home to Nigeria, then I’m really a Nigerian. But when I was here, I’m Jamaican. Even the Africans that were my guys were not Nigerians. They were Gambians, Ugandans, and Congolese. There were only two Nigerians in my crew.”
Burna Boy noted that his early exposure to Jamaican music, especially through his father’s playlist, helped shape his musical taste. He has previously stated that he sees Jamaica as a second home and has drawn significant inspiration from reggae and dancehall in developing his sound.
The singer also dated British-Jamaican rapper Stefflon Don from 2019 to 2021, further strengthening his ties to the Caribbean community.
