On Sunday night, February 19, 2023 (early morning hours of Monday in Nigeria, February 20, 2023), in faraway Salt Lake City Utah, USA, Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Rema and Tems thrilled fans in a first-of-its-kind Afrobeats-themed performance at the 72nd National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star halftime show, held at the Vivint Arena.
This is the first time in history three Nigerian artistes performed at one of the biggest global sporting events, the NBA All-Star game.
For about 15 minutes of the Halftime show, Burna boy who opened the performance followed by Rema and then Tems before a closing performance from Burna boy held the audience including players, spellbound chanting and chorusing the lyrics and sound of Afrobeats.
Interestingly, Cameroonian-born Toronto Raptors player, Pascal Siakam, who is a two-time NBA All-Star performed the hypeman duty of introducing the Nigerian singers to hit the stage, the beginning of a thrilling Afrobeats night which excited the spectators, players, officials and global fans viewing and following the game.
Grammy Award winner, Burna Boy rocked the fans with hit music from his collections including, ‘Ye’, ‘It’s Plenty’ while Rema came on stage to deliver another super performance of his new single, ‘Holiday’ to the excitement of the audience before 2023 Grammy winner, Tems, who is also nominated for Oscars this year serenaded the crowd with her performance. Burna boy closed the NBA All-Star halftime show with his hit song, ‘Last Last’.
The excitement shown by Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike particularly on social media platforms hailing the performances of the Nigerian top artistes indicated a growing love and followership for Afrobeats worldwide.
Kudos to the NBA through NBA Africa and most recently, NBA Nigeria who are pushing the positive narratives of the basketball game in the continent through initiatives like the Basketball Africa League, Power Forward and other investments which forms the crux of the NBA All-Star Africa luncheon as part of the wider NBA All-Star weekend.
The NBA All-Star Africa luncheon had in attendance key stakeholders of the game at NBA and NBA Africa including Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner; Mark Tatum, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer; Victor Williams, NBA Africa CEO; Gbemisola Abudu, NBA Africa Vice President & Country Head Nigeria and Amadou Gallo Fall, BAL President. Others were Tunde Folawiyo and Ian Mahinmi, both NBA Africa investors; Ladipoe, Nigerian rapper and Tobi Bakre, Nigerian celebrity and influencer.
Four players from or with parents from Africa – Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo (Nigeria), Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) featured in the 72nd NBA All-Star game which was won by team Giannis after defeating team Lebron by 184 points to 175.
