Who is Damini Ogulu? Damini Ogulu, popularly known by his stage name Burna Boy is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Burna Boy’s last three studio albums, African Giant, Twice as Tall, and Love Damini, were nominated for the Best Global Music Album Category (Formerly known as the Best World Music Album) at the Grammys. Burna Boy performed at the Premiere ceremony of the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and picked up the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album for his Album, Twice as Tall.
The Nigerian Grammy Award Winner is the talent that gave us one of the songs of the 2022 summer, Last Last, a sample of Toni Braxton’s classic 2000 record “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” Last Last was also nominated for Best Global Music Performance at the 65th GRAMMY Awards, although it lost out to “Bayethe” by Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini & Nomcebo Zikode.
Burna Boy goes by many names and nicknames like all other great artists. I will list all the popular, flattering, and less flattering nicknames of Burna Boy.
Table of Contents
Burna Boy Nicknames
Here are the nicknames of Burna Boy (his real name is Damini Ogulu). They are ranked by popularity:
1. Burna
The short form of his stage name is the most used nickname for Burna Boy.
2. African Giant
African Giant is the title of Burna Boy’s fourth studio album, but the source of the nickname, “African Giant,” came in Burna Boy’s typical braggadocious fashion.
Burna Boy was listed as one of the performers of the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In response to the Coachella announcement graphics, Burna Boy went on a Twitter rant on how he felt disrespected by Coachella for writing his name in small fonts.
@coachella I really appreciate you. But I don’t appreciate the way my name is written so small in your bill. I am an AFRICAN GIANT and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means. Fix things quick please,” Burna Boy wrote.
The immortalised ‘African Giant’ rant birthed the theme of his mega-successful African Giant album and has since earned him the title “African Giant.”
3. Odogwu (ODG)
Odogwu is a self-proclaimed Burna Boy nickname. In his song, titled, you guessed it, “Odogwu,” the line goes, “When I reach Igbo land dem call me ODOGWU.”
Odogwu is a term from the Igbo dialect, spoken primarily in southeastern Nigeria, which means “Great One.” Odogwu, in its original translation, had a military connotation. It was a term used to reference the “war general.” Today, Odogwu is used the same way you would use “Chief” or “boss” as a term of endearment or respect.
4. Oluwa Burna
The “Oluwaburna” nickname is a fun wordplay on the famous prefix “Oluwa.” Oluwa is a popular prefix of names in the Yoruba language; more than 20 million people speak Yoruba in southwestern Nigeria. Oluwa refers to God, the supreme being. For example, OluwaFEMI means “God loves me.”
Oluwa is a prefix of many names in means Yoruba language; It refers to God, the supreme being. More than 20 million people speak Yoruba in southwestern Nigeria. Yoruba is also the tribe of Burna Boy’s Mother, Bose Ogulu, known as “Namix.”
You may have heard the nickname in some of Burna Boy’s songs or as adlibs in some features. In Stormzy’s Own It Featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy, (Everybody, body, body, body, body oluwaburna ti de), which means Everyone, Oluwaburna (Burna Boy) is in the building.
5. EL Mejor
EL MEJOR is another self-proclaimed nickname. EL Mejor means “The best.” Burna Boy considers himself the best Nigerian artiste or maybe even the best artiste in the world. If you know Burna Boy, you would know that the assertion is not far-fetched.
6. BIG 7
Big 7 is one of those nicknames that the fewer people that know the meaning, the better for everyone. This is one of the nicknames Burna has adopted in the past few years. It has also appeared on his Twitter Bio, with other nicknames such as ODG and EL Mejor.
7. Don Gorgon
Don Gorgon means “Kingpin,” “Top shot,” or “The head” in Jamaican Patois. Burna Boy adopted this nickname following the release of his single “Don Gorgon” in 2014. In the song, he proclaims himself as the Don Gorgon.
8. BurnaRanking
Like Don Gor Gon, Burna Ranking is a nickname that Burna Boy has used to refer to himself. In the first verse of the record, Don Gorgon, you can hear Burna boy refer to himself as Burna Ranking in Jamaican patois; “Booyaka! Booyaka! call fi Burna Ranking.” You can also hear the nickname in the record, Heaven’s Gate featuring Lily Allen. In the second verse, “Heaven know say Burna ranking, him stand nuh regular.” In the record, Gba Gbe featuring Afrobeat DJ, DJ Spinall, Burna Boy has a call and response, saying, “When I say Burna, you say Ranking, Burna, Ranking!”
9. Sabi Boy
Sabi Boy is a general slang for someone excellent at a craft. It is also used to refer to someone with street smarts. Burna Boy has referred to himself as “Sabi Boy” in the record Yawa Dey. In the bridge of the song, you can hear him refer to himself as “Sabi Boy.” “Hahahaha, Na so now, Sabi boy.” Also, in his verse in the hit record “Sungba remix featuring fellow Afrobeat act, Asake, he refers to Sabi, when he says, “my problem is I too Sabi,” which translates to “My problem is I am too knowledgeable/talented.”
10. Gorilla
Gorilla is the animal Burna Boy employs for his African Giant imagery. Although there is no apparent reason why Burna Boy chose a Gorilla, maybe the line from the record Second Sermon remix explains it, where he says, “Yes, I be gorilla, but you cannot lock me in the zoo.” So, it is safe to say Burna Boy’s Gorilla imagery takes ownership of the racist “monkey” slur used for Black people.
What is Burna Boy’s Fandom Name
The name of Burna Boy’s fandom is “Outsiders.” In his Grammy award-winning speech, he acknowledges his fanbase with a line in Yoruba that translates to, “Are outsiders small or insignificant in this world?.”
What is the Name of Burna Boy’s Band?
The Outsiders is the name of Burna Boy’s official band. The talented band is a crucial part of Burna Boy’s live performances. The Outsiders backed Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems at the NBA All-Star Half-Time Show 23’. They were also on stage at the MSG Show in 2022 and his Love, Damini Summer 2022 Tour.
Who is Namix?
Namix is the nickname of Burna Boy’s mother, Bose Ogulu, aka Mama Burna, who is the Co-Founder of Spaceship Collective and Burna Boy’s manager. Bose Ogulu is a regular presence at Burna Boy’s show and events. She made the Billboard 2021 International Power Players List. Billboard’s International Power Players recognize industry leaders such as label executives, music publishers, independent entrepreneurs, artist managers, and concert promoters.
Now, you have a good grasp of the many names and nicknames of Burna Boy.
