Afrobeats artist Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, known as Ayra Starr, has shared her preference for Ghanaian jollof rice over the Nigerian kind.
There has been a long-standing debate on social media about which country makes the best jollof rice, with fans from Nigeria and Ghana often taking sides. In a recent interview on BET Amplified, the ‘Bad Vibes’ singer mentioned that she likes Ghanaian jollof rice because of its garnishing. The 21-year-old also talked about the differences in jollof rice traditions between the two countries. When questioned about which country’s jollof rice she likes best, she expresses her choice. Ayra Starr said:
“Ghanaian jollof”.
“I mean they are both really amazing. I grew up with Nigerian jollof rice. Nigerian jollof is practically called party rice, so people eat it at parties. It is like a celebratory food.”
“The culture around it is that they usually use a big pot to cook it outside, so it kind of burns and it is smoky. So it is smoky jollof rice, that is what it is called. Ghanaian jollof rice has like things inside but for Nigerian jollof, the protein, vegetables are outside if you are having anything else. So it is two different vibes.”
Ayra Starr recently released her album ‘The Year I Turned 21’ and became famous after her hit song ‘Bloody Samaritan’ came out in 2021. That same year, she launched her first studio album “19 and Dangerous,” featuring popular tracks like “Away,” “Rush,” and “Bloody Samaritan,” which she later remixed with Kelly Rowland. With many awards to her name, Starr is one of the fastest-growing artists in Africa.
She was nominated for this year’s Grammy Awards, with “Rush” earning her a nomination in the Best African Music Performance category, making her the youngest Nigerian female artist to achieve this. Unfortunately, she lost to South African singer Tyla.
In other news, The widely recognized online streaming service, Spotify, has marked the 10th anniversary of Wizkid’s hit track “Ojuelegba.” In a statement released on Tuesday by Phiona Okumu, the Head of Music for Sub Saharan Africa, Spotify revealed that the song has amassed over 55 million streams since its debut in 2014.
“Today marks the 10th anniversary of Wizkid’s groundbreaking single, “Ojuelegba”, a song that helped define the global rise of Afrobeats and continues to resonate with millions of listeners across the world.
“Since its release Ojuelegba has achieved over 55 million streams on Spotify, Ojuelegba’s journey reflects the global growth of Afrobeats and its increasing presence on the world stage.
“The United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France and Nigeria are the top five countries streaming the song. During this time, the song solidified Wizkid’s legacy as one of Africa’s most influential artistes.
“With its 10th anniversary, the song will continue to be celebrated as one of the most iconic Afrobeats tracks of all time, and a testament to the power of African music on global stage,” she said.
