Veteran Nigerian media personality Toolz reflected on her long journey through the music industry and the artists who left a lasting impression.
Sitting in a Dear Ife Series recently, while reflecting on her experience and the artists she’s watched rise, Toolz zeroed in on what she sees as the core of Burna Boy’s public persona: his profound sensitivity.
“He’s a very, very sensitive person,” Toolz shared. Knowing they are both Cancerians (she was born on July 6th and Burna, July 3rd), Toolz drew from her own emotional makeup to explain his reactions. As Cancers, she noted, sensitive people tend to respond by either withdrawing to process pain privately, or pushing back, sometimes fiercely. 
Burna, according to Toolz, often chooses the latter.
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She believes this sensitivity fuels many of his public pushbacks. When he feels misunderstood, disrespected, or targeted, the response can be raw and unfiltered.
Toolz frames what we normally see as controversy or defensiveness, as the natural reaction of a deeply sensitive artist that is navigating massive fame. “I’ve known him for years,” she said, “and that’s what he does. And it’s just like now it’s on a much grander scale.”
Toolz was one of the early believers in Burna Boy’s potential. “I was pretty certain that if he did the right things, he’d be very, very successful,” she recalled. She explained that his sound struck her as uniquely special in an adaptable yet authentic way.
Her prediction, no doubt, proved accurate. Over the years, Burna has demonstrated remarkable consistency. He has released hits after hits, evolving his Afro-fusion sound while staying true to his roots, his message, and his uniqueness. Even as trends come and go, Burna Boy keeps showing up with music that challenges, celebrates, and provokes.
However, his consistency coexists with a lingering sense that many people dislike him. Toolz acknowledges that Burna sometimes operates from this belief. “He sometimes thinks that a lot of people dislike him, and they’ve always disliked him,” she explained. While she notes that recent events have added layers to these feelings, she gently counters the narrative noting that back in the day, that widespread dislike wasn’t the reality.
Despite these internal and external battles, Burna Boy’s global fame validates Toolz’s early conviction.
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She also pointed to a clear marker of success in the industry: “When Oyinbo (white) people love you… that’s it. You’ve made it.” International audiences have embraced him wholeheartedly by buying albums, selling out arenas, and streaming his music across continents.
With the way Toolz explains Burna Boy’s sensitivity, from Grammy wins, major festival slots like the 2026 FIFA World Cup Half-Time Show, to collaborations, he hasn’t let it stop him from achieving feats. Western acceptance has amplified his voice on the world stage, even as he continues to wrestle with his place at home.
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