City Boys

Album: I Told Them... (2023)
Charted: 14
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A city boy is a slang term for a man who lives his best life. He is someone who focuses on his success and is seen as sophisticated.

    On this braggadocious anthem, Burna Boy blends his signature Afro-fusion with US hip-hop. The Nigerian star boasts of how he's a successful city boy who gets girls from both the ghetto and uptown.
  • "City Boys" kicks off with a snippet from British rapper J Hus' Instagram story. In it, J Hus dismantles the notion of his own "ugly" perception and proudly declares himself "sexy." The sample is a potent declaration of self-love and self-acceptance.
  • Burna Boy delivers the first part of the chorus in Yoruba, a language spoken in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria.

    Mi o fa'gbo lo rado
    BRKFST mo n fa o


    Translates into English as:
    I don't listen to noise
    I have breakfast with you


    He's not talking about the first meal of the day. BRKFST is Burna Boy's cannabis brand.

    Mi o de ni mu Jekonmo
    Azul and Champagne ni ma mu o


    Translates as:
    I don't have time for Jekonmo
    I'll have Azul and Champagne with you


    Burna Boy doesn't care for Jekonmo, a Nigerian herbal mixture sold in local markets and online. He prefers indulging in upmarket foreign beverages like Azul and Champagne.
  • MD$ & Ruuben produced the track. They incorporate a sped-up sample of Jeremih's "Birthday Sex."
  • "City Boys" is a track from Burna Boy's seventh album I Told Them… In the week following the release of the album, the song charted worldwide thanks to the "City Boys" dance challenge on TikTok.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.