Burna Boy is facing intensifying criticism across social media after fans accused the Grammy-winning Afrobeats star of disrespectful behaviour during his ongoing “No Sign of Weakness” tour in the United States.
What was expected to be a high-energy run of shows has instead unravelled into a string of controversies, cancellations and noticeably low turnouts at several venues.
The backlash was sparked on 12 November in Denver when Burna Boy stopped his performance mid-show to confront a fan seated near the front who appeared to be asleep. He insisted that security escort the woman and her partner out of the venue, saying he would not continue performing until they were removed.
The incident reignited anger as older clips resurfaced online, showing moments where Burna Boy appeared dismissive of fans, refunded their money and ordered them out for “discouraging” him on stage.
Another widely shared video captured him saying he only wanted fans “who have money”, further fuelling public outrage.
The woman accused of sleeping, later identified as Chaltu Jateny, revealed she was grieving the loss of her daughter’s father and had attended the concert in an attempt to lift her spirits.
“…I have been mentally, physically and emotionally drained… I came to his show to put a smile on my face…”, she wrote on X.
The video has since gone global, prompting widespread criticism. Even veteran American rapper Eminem weighed in, saying: “…Yo… this is not coo!..”.
Nigerian fans also joined the conversation, expressing disappointment and urging unapologetic Burna Boy to apologise.
One Instagram user @korede_lagos commented: “…He got away with it in Nigeria because everyone gets away with things here, but over there, they cherish human dignity…”.
Another, @OmoAkin, wrote: “…At this point, Burna Boy should just come out and drop an apology video… Any wrong move, he may never recover again…”.
TikToker @Wontanamera added that Nigerians needed to demand respect, saying: “…He is so disrespectful whenever he performs in Nigeria…”.
Born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu in 1991, Burna Boy rose to prominence after releasing his debut album L.I.F.E in 2013, which featured the hit Yawa Dey.
His ascent from a rising Nigerian talent to a global music heavyweight has been remarkable, but fans now say the star risks jeopardising his hard-won reputation if the controversies continue.