Wizkid’s 3 Billboard Awards Is Another First For Africa And Afropop

Breaking records for Africa and preparing for a global takeover

This year alone, Wizkid has been in entertainment headlines more times than Beyonce has Grammys. While some have been nothing more than the rumour mill around Wizkid spinning, the Starboy’s Billboard nominations for his feature on Drake’s “One Dance” was one of the more genuine ones. The 7 nominations were great but after the award ceremony on Sunday, he had made history as the first African to ever win a Billboard Award.

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“One Dance” was released last year as a part of Drake’s Views album that saw the Canadian expand from rapping and singing to a more inclusive genre blending style. The hit single spent an ungodly amount of time at #1 on the Billboard chart aided by Wizkid’s Reggae infused Afropop bridge and production credits. Yesterday’s win finally laid to rest the rumours that swirled around the extent of Wizkid’s contribution to the single and album. He won 3 Billboard Awards for Top Streaming Song, Top R&B Song and Top R&B Collaboration with that feature and no absence from videos or award ceremony can take that away from him.

See the rest of the Billboard Winners and Nominations below.

Top Artist
Adele
Beyonce
Justin Bieber
The Chainsmokers
Drake
Ariana Grande
Shawn Mendes
Rihanna
Twenty One Pilots
The Weeknd

Top New Artist
Alessia Cara
Desiigner
Lil Uzi Vert
Lukas Graham
Zayn Malik.

Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity
Luke Bryan
Nicki Minaj
The Chainsmokers
The Weeknd
Twenty One Pilots

Top Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Future
Shawn Mendes
The Weeknd

Top Female Artist
Adele
Beyonce — WINNER
Ariana Grande
Rihanna
Sia

Top Duo/Group
The Chainsmokers
Coldplay
Florida Georgia Line
Guns N’ Roses
Twenty One Pilots — WINNER

Top Billboard 200 Artist
Beyonce
Drake — WINNER
Prince
Twenty One Pilots
The Weeknd

Top Hot 100 Artist
The Chainsmokers
Drake — WINNER
Rihanna
Twenty One Pilots
The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist
The Chainsmokers
Drake — WINNER
Prince
Justin Timberlake
Twenty One Pilots

Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Bieber
The Chainsmokers
Drake
Rihanna
Twenty One Pilots — WINNER

Top Streaming Songs Artist
The Chainsmokers
Desiigner
Drake — WINNER
Rihanna
Twenty One Pilots

Top Social Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Shawn Mendes

Top Touring Artist
Justin Bieber
Beyonce — WINNER
Coldplay
Guns N’ Roses
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Top R&B Artist
Beyonce — WINNER
Bruno Mars
Frank Ocean
Rihanna
The Weeknd

Top R&B Tour
Beyonce — WINNER
Lionel Richie
Rihanna

Top Rap Artist
J. Cole
Desiigner
Drake — WINNER
Future
Rae Sremmurd

Top Rap Tour
Drake — WINNER
Future
Kanye West

Top Country Artist
Florida Georgia Line
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean

Top Country Tour
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney — WINNER
Dixie Chicks

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Top Rock Artist
Coldplay
The Lumineers
Metallica
Twenty One Pilots — WINNER
X Ambassadors

Top Rock Tour
Coldplay — WINNER
Guns N’ Roses
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Top Latin Artist
J Balvin
Juan Gabriel — WINNER
Los Plebes Del Rancho De Ariel Camacho
Maluma
Nicky Jam

Top Dance/Electronic Artist
The Chainsmokers — WINNER
Calvin Harris
Major Lazer
DJ Snake
Lindsey Stirling

Top Christian Artist
Lauren Daigle — WINNER
Hillsong Worship
Hillary Scott & the Family
Skillet
Chris Tomlin

Top Gospel Artist
Jekalyn Carr
Kirk Franklin — WINNER
Travis Greene
Tamela Mann
Hezekiah Walker

Top Billboard 200 Album
Beyonce, Lemonade
Drake, Views
Rihanna, Anti
Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface
The Weeknd, Starboy

Top Soundtrack/Cast Album
Hamilton: An American Musical — WINNER
Moana
Purple Rain
Suicide Squad: The Album
Trolls

Top R&B Album
Beyonce, Lemonade — WINNER
Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
Frank Ocean, Blonde
Rihanna, Anti
The Weeknd, Starboy

Top Rap Album
J. Cole, 4 Your Eyez Only
Drake, Views — WINNER
Kevin Gates, Isla
DJ Khaled, Major Key
A Tribe Called Quest, We Got It From Here…Thank You For Your Service

Top Country Album
Jason Aldean, They Don’t Know
Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots
Blake Shelton, If I’m Honest
Chris Stapleton, Traveller — WINNER
Keith Urban, Ripcord

Top Rock Album
The Lumineers, Cleopatra
Metallica, Hardwired…To Self Destruct — WINNER
Radiohead, A Moon Shaped Pool
Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Getaway
Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface

Top Latin Album
J Balvin, Energia
CNCO, Primera Cita
Juan Gabriel, Los Duo 2 — WINNER
Juan Gabriel, Vestido De Etiqueta: Por Eduardo Magallanes
Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho, Recuerden Mi Estilo

Top Dance/Electronic Album
The Chainsmokers, Bouquet
The Chainsmokers, Collage 
Flume, Skin
Kygo, Cloud Nine
Lindsey Stirling, Brave Enough — WINNER

Top Christian Album
Casting Crowns, The Very Next Thing
Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be — WINNER
Joey + Rory, Hymns
Hillary Scott & The Family, Love Remains
Skillet, Unleashed

Top Gospel Album
Tamela Mann, One Way — WINNER
Kirk Franklin, Losing My Religion
Travis Greene, The Hill
Tasha Cobbs, One Place: Live
Hezekiah Walker, Better: Azusa – The Next Generation 2

Top Hot 100 Song
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”
The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”
Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”
Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

Top Selling Song:
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”
The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Drake Featuring, WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”
Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” — WINNER
Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

Top Radio Song
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”
The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”
Sia Featuring Sean Paul, “Cheap Thrills”
Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” — WINNER

Top Streaming Song (Audio)
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance” — WINNER
D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”
Rihanna, “Needed Me”
The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

Top Streaming Song (Video)
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”
Desiigner, “Panda” — WINNER
Zay Hilfigerr & Zayion McCall, “JuJu On That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles”
Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

Top Collaboration
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer” — WINNER
The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”
Sia Featuring Sean Paul, “Cheap Thrills”
The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

Top R&B Song
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance” — WINNER
Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”
Rihanna, “Needed Me”
Rihanna Featuring Drake, “Work”
The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

Top R&B Collaboration
Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance” — WINNER
PARTYNEXTDOOR Featuring Drake, “Come And See Me”
Rihanna Featuring Drake, “Work”
The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk “I Feel It Coming”
The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

Top Rap Song
Desiigner, “Panda” — WINNER
Drake, “Fake Love”
D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”
Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad And Boujee”
Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles”

Top Rap Collaboration
D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”
Zay Hilfigerr & Zayion McCall, “JuJu On That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello, “Bad Things”
Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad and Boujee”
Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles” — WINNER

Top Country Song
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”
Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Little Big Town, “Better Man”
Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Top Country Collaboration
Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King, “Different For Girls”
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire” — WINNER
Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens, “Kill A Word”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill, “Sober Saturday Night”

Top Rock Song
Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons with Logic & Ty Dolla $ign Featuring X Ambassadors, “Sucker For Pain”
Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens” — WINNER
Twenty One Pilots, “Ride”
Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out”
X Ambassadors, “Unsteady”

Top Latin Song
Daddy Yankee, “Shaky Shaky”
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Wisin, “Duele El Corazon”
Nicky Jam, “Hasta El Amanecer” — WINNER
Shakira Featuring Maluma, “Chantaje”
Carlos Vives & Shakira, “La Bicicleta”

Top Dance/Electronic Song
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer” — WINNER
The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Calvin Harris Featuring Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For”
Major Lazer Featuring Justin Bieber & MO, “Cold Water”
DJ Snake Featuring Justin Bieber, “Let Me Love You”

Top Christian Song
Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”
Hillary Scott & The Family, “Thy Will” — WINNER
Skillet, “Feel Invincible”
Ryan Stevenson Featuring GabeReal, “Eye Of The Storm”
Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”

Top Gospel Song
Jekalyn Carr, “You’re Bigger”
Tasha Cobbs, Featuring Kierra Sheard “Put A Praise On It”
Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy??”
Travis Greene, “Made A Way” — WINNER
Hezekiah Walker, “Better”

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/wizkidayo

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