Burna Boy’s mum makes Billboard’s 2021 ‘International Power Players’ list

Billboard has named Bose Ogulu, Burna Boy’s mum, among its ‘International Power Players’.

The music industry magazine’s ‘International Power Players’ honour recognises industry leaders — nominated by their companies and peers and selected by Billboard editors — with primary responsibility outside the US.

It includes label executives, music publishers, independent entrepreneurs, artiste managers, and concert promoters.

“Amid the pandemic, Ogulu co-executive-produced, released and promoted the ‘Twice As Tall’ album from Nigeria’s breakout global star Burna Boy (aka her son, Damini Ogulu),” Billboard wrote.

“He is signed to Bad Habit/Atlantic in the United States and Warner Music International for territories outside of Africa. ‘Twice As Tall’ won Best Global Music Album at this year’s Grammy Awards.

“Bose has set up a publishing company through Spaceship Collective to enable Africans to own their own catalogs ‘so that the authenticity of our stories, our glory, our culture is sustained,’ she says, ‘and we are empowered’.”

Apart from Burna Boy, Ogulu also manages Nissi, Burna’s sister, who performs under her own name.

She managed Burna’s career until 2014 and became his manager from 2017, gaining the nickname “Mama Burna”.

Ogulu is a daughter of the music critic Benson Idonije, who was the manager of Fela Kuti, a late Afrobeat legend.

With a Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages and a Masters of Arts in translation from the University of Port Harcourt, Ogulu had a successful career as a translator for the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce.

She is the founder of Spaceship Collective, the holding company to Spaceship Records and Spaceship Publishing.

See Billboard’s full list here.