16/07/2026
Happy big 36th Birthday to the gorgeous, mega talented Grammy winning Nigerian Singer, Songwriter, Superstar, Fashion & Global Icon and Legend, the One & Only who paved the way for many! 👏🦅🎂🌟🐐👑❤️🎆
WIZKID is the undisputed King of Afrobeats! He is the Best-selling Afrobeats Artist of All Time and is the Most streamed African Artist on Spotify! He was the 1st African Artist to hit major streaming Milestones, including 1B-10B and is the 1st and Only African Artist to surpass 11 Billion streams across all credits! He is the African Artist with the Most streamed song of All-Time on Spotify with "One Dance", his global smash hit collab with Drake! "One Dance" was the first song to reach a Billion streams on Spotify, and the most streamed song on the platform at that time! It is now the 7th Most streamed song of All time with over 4,353 Spotify plays! It's also the 6th most streamed song of All Time on Apple Music! "One Dance" made WIZKID the highest-ranked African Artist on Apple Music’s All Time most-streamed songs list, further solidifying his streaming dominance. "One Dance" reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in 14 additional countries, breaking numerous records, with Wizkid becoming the first Afrobeats artist to win a Guinness World Record! He's the African Artist with the most RIAA certifications, the most RIAA platinum certifications (4) and the only African Artist to receive a RIAA Diamond certification for over 10 Million sales units ("One Dance")! 'Made in Lagos' is the best-selling African album of all time in the US, certified Gold by the RIAA, with WIZKID becoming the first African artist with a RIAA Gold album! The album broke the record for the biggest streaming debut for an African album on Spotify! WIZKID's catalog boasts Billions of global streams, multiple chart-topping singles, and record-breaking sales across Africa, Europe, and North America!
WIZKID is credited for popularizing Afrobeats worldwide in the late 2010s and early 2020s! His work with Drake, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and Skepta broke barriers for African artists, establishing him as a key figure in the Afrobeats’ global rise! The Superstar was named by Billboard for being the 1st African artist to truly make a major pop breakthrough in the United States! He was the 1st Nigerian Artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 with an African song, the 1st Afrobeats Artist to reach the Hot 100 Top 10 as a lead Artist with his global smash hit "Essence" and the 1st African Artist to hit #1 on the Hot 100 (with "One Dance")! 'Made in Lagos' is the highest-charting Nigerian album on the Billboard World Albums Chart, peaking at #1.
WIZKID is the Most Awarded African Artist in history! He has won 1 Grammy, 4 BET Awards (the most for an African Artist), 2 American Music Awards, 7 MOBO Awards (the most for an African Artist), 3 Billboard Music Awards, 3 iHeart Radio music Awards (the most for an African Artist), 3 Soul Train Awards (the most for an African Artist), 2 MTV EMAs and 19 Headies, the most for an Artist in history! He was the 1ST African Artist to win a Grammy Award, taking home 'Best Music Video' for his contribution to Beyoncé’s "Brown Skin Girl" (featuring Saint Jhn and Blue Ivy Carter) in 2021! WIZKID was the 1ST Nigerian Artist to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award, the 1ST African Artist to win 3 Billboard Awards and the 1ST African Act to Win the BRIT Billion Award for 1 Billion UK Streams, highlighting his crossover success! He was also honoured with an ASCAP plaque for his songwriting contributions to "One Dance". Wizkid is the only African artist to have won multiple Apple Music Awards, recognized for his contributions to Afrobeats and his global streaming success. In 2019, WIZKID was named one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine.
WIZKID is a touring Powerhouse, selling out every venue, and continues to set new records! He scored the Fastest Sell-Out of London’s O2 Arena by an African Artist in 2022, shifting 20,000 tickets in just two minutes for his 'Made in Lagos tour', breaking his own previous record of shutting down the venue in 2017 and 2018. He's the 1ST African artist to sell out the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London (70,000) and the 1ST African Artist to headline and sell out Rolling Loud Toronto!
WIZKID is also a top Entrepreneur, and founded Starboy Entertainment in 2013! He has signed several very successful Artists including Maleek Berry, Legendury Beatz, Mr Eazi, Efya, R2Bees, and Terri, further amplifying his influence as a label owner.
WIZKID is also a Global Fashion Icon and Powerhouse endorser. In 2012, he signed a one-year deal with Pepsi worth US$350,000. In November 2013, he signed a deal with Guinness for the Guinness World of More concert! In June 2015, he signed a ₦128 million deal with GLO. In 2018, he was a runway top model for Dolce & Gabbana alongside Naomi Campbell during Milan Fashion Week, becoming the first Nigerian artist to hit the catwalk at such a high-profile fashion event! In 2018, WIZKID with Nike designed a customized Starboy FC jersey, becoming the first African artist to have a personalized jersey with the brand. This partnership also promoted Nigeria’s Super Eagles jersey for the 2018 World Cup, which was celebrated by Vogue and other top publications! WIZKID is a long-term global ambassador for Puma having starred in multiple campaigns and collections. He was the Star of Tommy Hilfiger’s “Pass the Mic” campaign. He's a front-row regular and collaborator for Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and other luxury brands. He is often featured in high-profile editorials for Vogue, GQ, and Esquire, solidifying his status as a true global style influencer.
WIZKID is a discrete but impactful philanthropist. Through his charity efforts, he has donated millions to underprivileged children including ₦100 million to kids in Makoko in honor of his late mother. He has built schools across Africa using profits from partnerships with brands Nike, and has supported education, healthcare, and community projects in Nigeria and Africa, always with humility and a real heart.
WIZKID’s records span chart performance, streaming milestones, awards, and cultural influence, making him a trailblazer for Afrobeats and African music globally. His achievements, such as being the first Afrobeats artist in the Guinness World Records, topping the Billboard Hot 100, and dominating streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, underscore his pioneering role. His 6th album Morayo (2024) continued this legacy, with unprecedented chart performance on Apple Music! All its songs occupied the top 17 positions on Apple Music’s Nigerian chart within 10 hours of release. The lead single, "Piece of My Heart" (featuring Brent Faiyaz), peaked at #4 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and #7 on the World Digital Song Sales chart!
From pioneering the Afrobeats explosion with timeless hits like “Essence” to smashing charts alongside Drake, Beyoncé, and beyond, Starboy continues to redefine greatness, blending cultural pride with universal appeal in a way no one else has. He's a living legend whose influence will echo for generations.
World Wizkid Day
