Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, also known as Burna Boy is a Nigerian born but London based Hip/Hop and Afro-beat artist. His song anybody off of his most recent Album African Giant is one of the most popular off of the album. The song is sung in both English and Yoruba. I picked up on that he is singing about two different things, the transformation of his life and how people in society see you and if they aren’t successful no one really respects you.
I love this song because I see it as Burna Boy finally using his platform to recognize himself and his talent and what he has to offer. As he’s gotten popular he has acquired more money. This is seen in the lines where he says, “money very soon expecting let your friends eat from your grains.” He’s making it known that even though he’s eating everyone around his that he cares about is eating too. His own life transformed before his very eyes
I also love the line where he says, “I used to call them ‘sir’ now its their turn to address me as ‘sir’ respect is reciprocal.” This goes a long way in society. There is a preconceived notion in life that if someone is beneath you that they don’t deserve respect and that could be with age or a job position, but all people do deserve respect and you get what you give.
All in all, the song represents the growing of Burna and I think it gives hope that it is possible for Anybody to do what Burna has done in creating the career and success that he has for himself. In saying, “anybody, that doesn’t want to wake up anybody, that doesn’t want to dance hit them with something.” I take it as him saying when someone doesn’t want to get up and work for what they want hit them with something, give them any type of motivation you can to get them moving and on the best path that they can be on.