Afrobeats Icon Burna Boy Is Boldly Transforming Pan-African Cinema for a Global Audience

Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy is making his debut as an executive producer in the film industry. He will do so with the Pan-African thriller, 3 Cold Dishes. The story is centered on three women, who survived trafficking, and reunite years later to seek justice. Directed by Nigerian filmmaker Asurf Oluseyi, the film is set to premiere at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), on November 2, 2025. This follows a London premiere on October 3, 2025.

Featuring music by Ugandan producer Andrew Ahuurra, the film also includes two tracks by Burna Boy himself. The film is being distributed across 26 African countries. This also includes theatrical releases planned in France, the U.S., and Canada. The release in Canada, will also include a December 16 release tied into Burna Boy’s tour.

Burna Boy Was Destined for Success

Burna Boy released his debut studio album L.I.F.E in 2013. He then gained international recognition in 2019, when he won Best International Act at the BET Awards. The same year, he was named an Apple Music Up Next artist.  His fourth studio album, African Giant (2019), won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards, and was also nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

Burna Boy’s star quality continues to rise

Burna Boy became the first African artist to have two albums with over 1 billion streams on Spotify.  His fifth studio album, Twice as Tall (2020), won Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. This made him the first Nigerian artist to win back-to-back Grammys in that category.  Ultimately, he continues to be recognized for his cultural impact and artistic excellence. To date, Burna Boy holds records for the most entries by an African artist on multiple charts. These include, US Billboard Hot 100, UK Singles, and Canadian Hot 100.