By Deborah Nnamdi
Grammy-winning Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy has become the African artist with the highest number of entries on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100 chart, surpassing fellow Nigerian singer Tems.
The singer, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, reached the milestone after securing his ninth appearance on the prestigious chart through his collaboration with Colombian pop star Shakira on the official FIFA World Cup song, “Dai Dai.”
The track debuted at No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the tie between Burna Boy and Tems, who previously held eight entries each on the chart.
Burna Boy announced the achievement on his social media platforms on Tuesday, describing it as a significant moment in his career and another landmark for African music on the global stage.
The song has continued to gain international attention, particularly following a performance by Burna Boy and Shakira at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
With the latest entry, Burna Boy now holds the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 appearances by an African artist, while Tems ranks second on the list.
The achievement further strengthens Burna Boy’s status as one of Africa’s most successful global music exports. He is also the first African artist to have at least one song appear on the Billboard Hot 100 in six consecutive years.
His entries on the chart include “Loved By You” (2021), “Last Last” (2022), “Sitting On Top of the World” and “Talibans II” (2023), “Just Like Me” and “We Pray” (2024), “WGFT” (2025), and “Only You” and “Dai Dai” (2026).
The latest feat comes amid another major career milestone for the Afrobeats star, who recently surpassed 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the highest monthly audience figure of his career on the streaming platform.
