Posted by Chinenye on Thu 16th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
A global Afrobeats superstar has reached another personal milestone, prompting an outpouring of love from fans and fellow artistes.
(Wizkid. Photo Credit: The Sun Nigeria)
Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, the artist known as Starboy rose to fame with his 2011 album Superstar and went on to deliver massive hits, including "Essence," which became the first Afrobeats track to break into the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, alongside his feature on Drake's "One Dance," which has amassed over 4 billion Spotify streams.
He now holds the title of Africa's most streamed artist, with 11 billion total streams on the platform, in addition to a Grammy win for "Brown Skin Girl" alongside Beyoncé, three Billboard Music Awards, and sold-out performances at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the O2 Arena.
Fans flooded social media with heartfelt tributes, with many expressing how deeply his music had impacted their lives, while fellow artist Olamide marked the occasion with a birthday message celebrating him as one of the greatest.
The celebrations sparked widespread conversation online, with fans reminiscing about favourite songs, albums and standout moments spanning from Made in Lagos to his performance at Rolling Loud Toronto.