Nigerian music sensation Burna Boy has ignited a heated debate on social media with his recent assertion that he is the sole songwriter for his music. Taking to Twitter, Burna Boy emphasized that while producers and featured artists receive credit for their roles, they are not credited as songwriters.
“Any name you see credited on my songs are only producers of the songs or featured artists, NOT writers. But for some reason, the western world considers producers as writers of the instrumentals and they just throw their names on there as writers. Nobody fit write for Odogwu,” Burna Boy tweeted, referencing his nickname, Odogwu.
This declaration has prompted mixed reactions from fans and critics alike. While some applaud his confidence and dedication to his craft, others, including popular commentator Daniel Regha, challenge his statement. Regha highlighted that songwriter Peruzzi had previously written for Burna Boy, and questioned the accuracy of Burna Boy’s claim, especially given the frequent use of samples in his biggest hits.
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“Nobody fit write for Odogwu, yet his biggest songs are samples. OK, Burna,” Regha tweeted.
Further fueling the debate, social media users shared lists of credited songwriters on Burna Boy’s tracks, suggesting that his music has benefitted from collaborative writing efforts.
“Burna boy said no one has ever written a song for him, be like na only am get all these names,” tweeted @_oluwaseun9, along with a compilation of credited songwriters.
The controversy underscores the complexities of songwriting credits within the music industry, where the roles of producers, featured artists, and songwriters often overlap. As Burna Boy continues to assert his sole authorship, the debate over the true nature of musical collaboration in his work is likely to persist.
