Billboard Celebrates Wizkid As Africa’s Longest-Charting Artist

Billboard celebrates Nigerian singer Wizkid as the longest-charting African artist.

Billboard, the United States’ most popular music chart, has celebrated Wizkid, whose real name is Ibrahim Ayodeji Balogun, as the longest-charting African artist.

This came after his 2020 album “Made In Lagos” emerged as the longest-charting African album in Billboard’s history, charting for the 84th week this week and his song “Essence” off the album became the longest-charting African song on the chart as well as the first to peak at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 10.

“Essence” featuring Tems and Justin Bieber is the first African song to achieve such. The original version of “Essence” sung by only Wizkid and Tems had already infiltrated Europe before the remix featuring the Canadian pop star, Justin Bieber, came and continued the infiltration which eventually landed the song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wizkid’s historical infiltration into the US market started way back with his featuring on Drake’s “Views” album (on the song “One Dance”) and with his third album “Sounds From The Other Side”, released in 2017. Although the album was mildly successful, it is “Made In Lagos” that really cemented his place as one of the most widely recognized African artists of this generation.

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