adminHOPEFULLY, Buffalo Souljah was watching.
And, it will provide him with more inspiration in his grand project in which he wants to fill up the National Sports Stadium.
It should also remind him that it’s not an easy task to get 60 000 fans cramming into a stadium for a musical show.
Of course, Nigerian superstar, Burna Boy, made history over the weekend when he became the first African artist to headline a stadium show in the UK.
And, crucially, a sold-out crowd of 60 000 fans screamed the Grammy award-winner’s Afrobeats lyrics back at him at the London Stadium.
But, even for a superstar like Burna Boy, he needed a little bit of help, from a number of A-listers, for him to bring the huge crowd into the stadium.
He brought along famous friends like Stormzy and Dave for the mega show in the British capital.
Big names like J Hus and Jamaican vocalist Popcaan were also part of the star-studded gig.
Afrobeats – a mix of African and Western influences – has seen a massive rise in popularity in recent years, thanks to the likes of Burna Boy and Wizkid.
The pair, two of Nigeria’s biggest stars, have headlined some of the world’s major music festivals.
But it was Burna Boy, who took it to another level on Saturday night.
Fans danced in the aisles, creating a carnival like atmosphere as he bounced around the stage in a bright orange jumpsuit.
TBaze says the genre is growing because of social media.
“A lot of artists have to think about how the music relates to things like TikTok dance challenges. It could be Instagram reels or freestyle challenges.
“That accessibility is essential and I think about that when I’m writing a song.
“In future, I’d imagine people will be fusing Afrobeats into their genres even more.”
Selling out a UK stadium has been hailed as a massive moment for Afrobeats, which has been appearing on charts across the world and taking over TikTok dance challenges.
It’s also been embraced by some of the world’s biggest stars – with Beyoncé and Drake featuring Afrobeats artists on their albums.
Now, the big question for Buffalo Souljah – can he pull off something as big as this at the National Sports Stadium?
The South Africa-based artist said he was confident he can fill up the National Sports Stadium.
The musician has been getting negative feedback from revellers after vowing to make history at the giant stadium.
He is holding his campaign under the theme #zadzanationalsportsstadium despite negative comments from people.
In a Facebook post, the reggae artist said he was aware that some people want his project to flop, but he will keep his head up.
“I know a lot of people want me to fail so that they can come here and say we warned you, use that energy to support us.
“Rather, this is not for me, I’m doing this for our industry and mainly it’s to entertain you, our people.
“Don’t let social media or any bad spirits stop you, have faith and leave everything in God’s hands,” he said.
The National Sports Stadium has a maximum carrying capacity of 60 000. – H-Metro Reporter/BBC.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter