Album Review: No Sign Of Weakness by Burna Boy

The Nigerian rapper and singer mixes accomplished songwriting with some mis-steps on his eighth studio album Though many afrobeats artists have had their 15 minutes of fame in the past few years, Burna Boy remains the most internationally recognised and successful by some distance. But it's not all plain sailing at the top: No Sign Of Weakness continues his feud with Davido, addresses social media controversies involving Speed Darlington and Sophia Egbueje and continues his track record of combining authentic sounds with pop appeal. The guitar licks of Buy You Life soundtrack wise lyrics concerning priorities and contentment ("You dey chase this money all your life / all the money no fit buy you life"), a mid-tempo 4×4 beat underneath and occasional horns on top.

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Music from Africa has seen a veritable boom in recent years. In fact, according to the IFPI, global recorded music revenues increased by 10.2% in 2023. In 2024, the IFPI's Global Music Report , saw sub-Saharan Africa snatch podium position as the only region to surpass 20% growth as revenues ascended by 24.7%, once again taking the crown for the biggest growth of any region for a second consecutive year.

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