Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ chart on the Billboard Hot 100

Nigerian superstar, Wizkid’s song, ‘Essence’, became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. This is a monumental, historical and milestone for African music and Afrobeats as a whole.

This earns Tems, who wizkid featured on the song, her first career entry on the chart.

This isn’t the first time wizkid had been on the Hot 100 chart; in 2016, he was featured on Drake’s ‘One Dance’, which hit No1 spot and Beyonce’s ‘Brown Skin Girl, which peaked at #76 in 2019.

In 2020, ‘Essence’  made it to former US President Barack Obama‘s Best Songs of the year and debuted at Number 82 spot on this week’s Billboard 100.

However, other African artists had appeared on the Billboard Hot 100; Mariam Makeba had two songs with PATA PATA (11/25/1967), peaked at #12, and  Malayisha (01/27/1968) peaked #85 on the Hot 100 chart.

While Manu Dibango song, Soul Makossa (07.28.1973), peaked at #35 on the Hot 100 chart.

Watch Essence Music Video

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