What I Learnt From Sean “Diddy” Combs — Burna Boy

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Burna Boy, has said that American rapper and business mogul, Sean “Diddy“ Combs taught him to believe in himself.

The singer had enlisted Diddy who has long guided rappers and singers (most famously the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige) toward wider audiences as executive producer on Twice As Tall.

When quizzed on what he learnt from working with the hiphop mogul; Burna Boy said in a chat with Entertainment Today, Canada:

“I basically learned that I was doing the right thing, you know and that I was on the right path. He basically saw a lot of himself in me and stuff. That basically showed me that… Yeah, about to hit dem billions.”

The self-proclaimed African Giant was a vocal voice during last year’s ENDSARS protest. When asked on the part music plays when it comes to social commentary, he said: “I believe music is whatever the spirit wants to say.”

READ ALSO: What Burna Boy Must do to Sustain the Tempo- Grandad

Burna Boy who lost out to Angelique Kidjo in the last Grammy edition, won the 2021 Best Global Music Album category with his Twice As Tall album, beating Antibalas (FU Chronicles), Bebel Gilberto (Agora), Anoushka Shankar (Love Letters), and Tinariwen (Amadjar).

Speaking about the making of the award-winning Twice As Tall album; Diddy had revealed to the New York Times why he agreed to be on the album.

“I’m on record that I like hit records. If they’re not hit records, I don’t like them. A lot of times when an artist wants to be coached or pushed to maybe a greater level, that’s where I’ve come in,” he had said.

“He, as every artiste, he wants his music to be heard by the world. He doesn’t care about crossing over. You know, he’s not trying to get hot. He’s not, like, ‘I want to be a big pop star’ — he’s already a star. He wants his music to be heard, his message, his people.”

It was also gathered that most of the album was recorded during the pandemic; and that Burna Boy and Diddy collaborated across an eight-hour time difference via frequent Zoom calls and file transfers. Diddy brought in musical contributions including drums from Anderson. Paak on of the songs, Alarm Clock and additional production from Timbaland on another Wetin Dey Sup.

Watch the interview below.