On Sunday evening in the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Burna Boy picked up the BET award for Best International Act. The 29-year-old singer and rapper, who was nominated alongside British rapper Headie one, Tanzania’s finest Diamond Platnumz, French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, fellow Nigerian pop star Wizkid, Brazil’s Emicida, France’s Youssopha and British duo Young T & Bugsey, emerged as a deserved winner in a tightly contested category.

Burna boy released his fifth studio album, Twice as Tall, in August of 2020. The brilliant body of work earned him the highly coveted Grammy Award for Best Global Music earlier in the year and now the Best International Act, his third in three years. Receiving the award on stage, he thanked his Mum ー who was also on stage with him ー Bose Ogulu, and his endearing fans. He ended his acceptance speech by teaching the audience some pidgin English: “When I say una dey dere, you’ll say we dey.”

The ceremony, which was hosted by award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson, featured star performances from acts like Tyler, The Creator, Lil Nas X, City Girls and Jazmine Sullivan. It also featured a live audience, one of the very first since the pandemic began.