Peedi Picasso, the boss of Aristokrat Records, has shared an interesting account of his first encounter with Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy in Port Harcourt, recalling how the singer’s British accent initially put him off before their first meeting changed his impression.
According to Peedi Picasso, Burna Boy was just 19 years old when they first connected, long before he became one of Nigeria’s biggest music exports.
Recalling their first phone conversation, the record label executive said Burna Boy told him, “I’ve been waiting for you to call me.”
Peedi explained that the singer’s accent initially caught him off guard, admitting that it was a turn-off when they first spoke. However, after arranging to meet him in person, he was struck by Burna Boy’s appearance and confidence.
He described the young singer as someone who already looked like a star, noting that he carried a certain aura even at that early stage of his career.
“I met Burna Boy in Port Harcourt. This was when he was still 19 years old, but I was turned off the first time I met him, because he had a British accent. The first thing Burna said to me when I called him was, ‘I’ve been waiting for you to call me.’ Arranged to meet him for the first time, and he looked like a star with such aura,” Peedi Picasso said.
The account offers a glimpse into Burna Boy’s early days and the people who encountered him before his rise to international recognition.
Burna Boy, born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, grew up in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before building a career that has taken Nigerian music to audiences around the world.
His journey from the Niger Delta to the international stage has also strengthened Port Harcourt’s place in conversations about the Nigerian music industry, particularly as fans continue to look back at the early experiences that shaped some of the country’s biggest artistes.
