Nigerian singer Burna Boy has become the African artist with the most appearances on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart after his latest collaboration with Colombian star Shakira debuted on the ranking this week.
The song, Dai Dai, entered the chart at number 75, giving Burna Boy a total of nine Hot 100 entries and moving him ahead of fellow Nigerian artist Tems, who has eight.
The achievement follows a period of sustained success for the Grammy Award-winning musician, whose songs have appeared on the chart every year since 2021.
Before this week’s update, Burna Boy and Tems jointly held the African record with eight entries each. Burna Boy’s latest appearance now places him alone at the top of the list.
Among African artists with multiple Billboard Hot 100 entries, Burna Boy’s nine appearances are followed by Tems with eight, while Nigerian singer Wizkid has recorded several entries, including the global hit Essence, which reached the top 10 of the chart.
Dai Dai gained momentum after Burna Boy and Shakira performed the song during the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
One user on X wrote: “When una go start to give Burna boy his flower in this country?” while another described him as “Agba of Africa”, a phrase often used to praise a respected figure.
Others congratulated the singer, with posts referring to him as “King” and “Odogwu”
However, some users questioned how much significance to attach to the record. One commenter argued that chart entries are “more of a brand and marketing milestone” and do not necessarily measure artistic impact.
The announcement also renewed comparisons among supporters of Burna Boy, Tems, Wizkid and Davido over how success should be measured in the global music industry.
Burna Boy’s previous Billboard Hot 100 entries include Loved By You in 2021, Last Last in 2022, Sittin’ On Top of the World and Talibans II in 2023, Just Like Me and We Pray in 2024, WGFT in 2025, and Only You and Dai Dai in 2026.
His biggest Hot 100 hit remains Last Last, which peaked at number 44.
The latest chart appearance also makes Burna Boy the first African artist to record at least one Billboard Hot 100 entry in six consecutive years, from 2021 to 2026.
With nine Billboard Hot 100 entries, compared with Tems’ eight, Burna Boy now holds the record for the most appearances by an African artist on the chart. Combined with six consecutive years of Hot 100 entries and the success of songs such as Last Last, which peaked at No. 44 in 2022.
