Wizkid’s Best-Selling Album in US & 5 Other Records Broken

In the big world of music, Afrobeats is now popular worldwide because Nigerian artists make really good music. One artist among several others whose work has hit many grounds and many people see as the first to break through some limestones and do great things is Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid.

The Nigerian superstar’s album ‘Made In Lagos’ reportedly become the best-selling African album in the United States, with an impressive 680,000 sales. Wizkid has done amazing things for Afrobeats all over the planet, and here are some of the biggest things he’s done that no one else has. Being the first artist to do these things, let’s take a closer look at these awesome achievements by Wizkid that make him stand out in Afrobeat’s history.

African artist with the most BET award nominations

Wizkid got nominated for the BET Awards, in June 2022, which is a big deal. He won an award at BET, and what’s even cooler is that he’s the first African artist to win a BET award in a different category than the usual one which is the Best International Act category. Wizkid has actually been nominated for the BET Awards seven times in his career. It is a special achievement for Nigerian music entertainers.

First African and Nigerian song to get platinum certification in the USA

Wizkid’s chart-topping track ‘Essence,’ a collaboration with Tems, achieved something really impressive in 2021. It earned a special recognition called the RIAA platinum certification, marking the sale of over a million copies. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that ‘Essence’ became the very first African and Nigerian song to snag this prestigious certification in the United States.

Wizkid isn’t new to making history with his music. In fact, he’s a three-time recipient of the platinum certification for three distinct songs. This remarkable feat solidifies Wizkid’s position as the African artist with the highest number of RIAA platinum certifications in the United States. This extraordinary record was further validated when ‘One Dance,’ a track featuring Drake from Wizkid’s ‘Sounds From The Other Side’ album, also received the coveted platinum certification.

First Nigerian nominee for the Billboard awards

Wizkid proudly claimed a unique achievement as the first Nigerian to secure nominations at the esteemed Billboard Music Awards for both collaborative and solo efforts. His journey to the Billboard Music Awards began with an impressive seven nominations, sparked by his joint effort with Drake on the track ‘One Dance’ back in 2017. 

Adding to his accolades, Wizkid garnered another nomination in 2022 for his captivating solo piece, ‘Essence.’ This significant recognition on the global stage solidifies Wizkid’s position as a trailblazer, showcasing his exceptional talent and influence in the music industry.

Longest-Charting African album on billboard world albums chart

Wizkid accomplished an extraordinary feat by maintaining the longest presence on the Billboard World Albums Chart among African artists. His remarkable album ‘Made In Lagos’ remained on the chart for an impressive span of more than 70 weeks. This achievement is a noteworthy milestone as it surpasses the previous record held by the legendary Cesaria Evora, whose album ‘Cesaria’ held the record for 27 years.

Moreover, ‘Made In Lagos’ achieved another remarkable milestone by reaching the number one spot on the chart, making it the highest-charting album by a Nigerian artist.

First African to enter Spotify global album charts with debut album

As the first African artist to introduce an album on the Spotify Global Album Chart, Wizkid’s timeless creation, ‘Made In Lagos,’ not only marked its debut on the chart but made an entrance within the prestigious top 10 tier. In an impressive showcase of its popularity, the album secured its debut at the number 10 position. 

This feat transpired which positioned him as a pioneering force in the global music landscape went over a brief one-week tracking span, spanning from October 30th, 2020, to November 3rd, 2020.