Veteran Nigerian singer 9ice has claimed that his famous declaration about winning a Grammy, made in his 2008 hit Street Credibility featuring 2Face, has been fulfilled — not by him, but through the historic Grammy win of fellow Nigerian artiste Burna Boy.
Appearing on a recent episode of The Nancy Isime Show, 9ice addressed longstanding criticisms and mockery over his bold Grammy claim, arguing that his lyrics were prophetic and ultimately realized when Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album for Twice As Tall at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021.
“I was talking about Grammy and I wasn’t given — Burna got it. We [Nigerians] never get am?” he said, insisting that his vision was bigger than himself.
He explained that during the time he made the statement, the idea of Afropop artists winning a Grammy was largely unthinkable. “At the time I was talking about it, it wasn’t even attainable for Afropop artists at all,” he noted.
According to 9ice, artists often speak things into existence through their music, whether consciously or unconsciously. “That’s why I said when artists sing, they can be passing messages. That’s why it’s also important for artists to be very careful of their lyrics because music is spiritual.”
9ice’s remarks add a reflective layer to his earlier ambition, offering a new perspective on how one artist’s dream may be fulfilled through the collective progress of an entire music industry.