Burna Boy is once again at the center of a global firestorm after ejecting a fan from his concert in Denver, Colorado — an incident that has become one of the most polarizing controversies of his career, highlighting a pattern of tense interactions between the Nigerian superstar and his audience.
The drama unfolded midway through Burna Boy’s performance when he paused his set after noticing a woman near the front of the stage appearing to doze off. Visibly irritated, he called out the fan before instructing security to escort both her and her husband out of the venue. “You can go home,” he said, adding that he would not continue the show until they were removed. Multiple concertgoers captured the moment on video, which quickly went viral.
The fan later revealed that she was grieving the recent death of her daughter’s father and had attended the concert seeking relief from her emotional pain. Her explanation only intensified the backlash, with critics accusing Burna Boy of lacking empathy and publicly humiliating a vulnerable fan. Social media platforms erupted with criticism, memes, and even a viral ‘sleeping fan’ challenge, as users mocked the incident.
While the Denver incident has dominated headlines, it is far from the first time Burna Boy has faced criticism for how he interacts with fans. In 2019, during his ‘African Giant’ tour in Atlanta, he ejected a front-row fan who was perceived as ‘moody’ for not dancing or showing energy. He refunded the fan’s ticket on the spot but publicly told him to leave, sparking mixed reactions from the audience.
Similarly, in 2021 at a Lagos concert, Burna Boy and his security forcefully removed a fan who had jumped onstage seeking a hug. The pattern continued in 2023 during a Lagos show where fans endured a seven-hour wait before Burna Boy took the stage. Instead of apologizing, he chastised the audience, reportedly saying, “If you like no love me, na God go punish you,” and kicked another fan attempting to climb onto the stage.
In the case of the Denver concert, Burna Boy defended his actions rather than apologizing. He described the incident as a matter of maintaining order and energy, likening it to removing disruptive individuals from classrooms or airplanes. “Did I beg you to be my fan?” he asked rhetorically on social media, further inflaming critics and reinforcing his unapologetic persona.
The backlash was immediate and far-reaching. Fans, commentators, and cultural analysts criticized the singer for what they described as arrogance and a lack of emotional intelligence. Memes, TikTok challenges, and hashtags mocking the incident dominated social media.The fallout reportedly contributed to the cancellation of remaining U.S. tour dates, highlighting the tangible career consequences of the controversy.