It is no longer news that Burna Boy, the self-acclaimed African Giant, won a Grammy Award in the Best Global Music Album category a week ago and he has continued to get commendation from several quarters.

The 29-year-old singer, who noted that he was relieved when he was announced as the winner, also maintained that he deserved to win the prestigious award.

In an interview with BBC Africa, he said, “I felt very relieved because I deserved it. If I did not get it, I was hoping a situation would not happen where I would not get what I deserved. In 2012, I realised that it was bigger than me and that was when it hit me that this was not a hobby anymore. Anything is possible. Whatever situation or environment one finds oneself does not really determine one’s future or what one is going to do. It also does not stop one from pursuing one’s dreams. At the end of the day, we are in an environment that is very discouraging. An environment that does not even believe in itself; talk more of believing in one.

“It is always important for me to make music as much as possible because that is what would be left behind when I’m no longer here. That is going to be my footprints. I believe at every step of my life, (I should) create a body of work that narrates and explains that time of my life.”

Speaking about the making of the award-winning Twice As Tall album, Burna Boy added, “It is important to work from Nigeria, despite the challenges, because it is my home. The fact that I did it here does not mean that it was conducive. I felt that if we had a leadership that took the youths seriously and also put certain infrastructure in place, I probably would not be winning the Grammy in 2021. I would have won it in 2013 or 2014. But at the end of the day, God does not make mistakes. A lot of doors have been opened and my biggest joy is that future geniuses will be going through these doors and also opening new ones.”