From Atlanta to Lagos: Gunna’s Nigerian Afrobeats Journey

As the sun dipped below the smoggy skyline of Lagos, throngs of fans pushed toward the makeshift stage along the Eko Convention Center. They had come not for a local hero but for an Atlanta native whose drawl was forged in the trap studios of Georgia. Dreadlocks swaying, diamonds shimmering, Sergio “Gunna” Kitchens stepped onto Nigerian soil and felt the roar of thousands wash over him.

In that moment, he crossed a bridge that few American rappers have dared to cross: from the gritty cadence of U.S. trap to the polyrhythmic heartbeat of Afrobeats. His transformation isn’t a gimmick; it’s the culmination of years of curiosity, collaboration, and genuine affection for Nigeria’s cultural pulse.

Opening the door with The Last Wun

Gunna’s love affair with Afrobeats crystallized on his sixth studio album, The Last Wun. Released 8 August 2025 as his final project under YSL Records, the 25‑track set pulses with Turbo‑produced trap and shimmering Afrobeats grooves. Wikipedia’s meticulous track list confirms the placement of three Nigerian heavyweights: Burna Boy appears on the propulsive “WGFT,” Wizkid lends his silken vocals to the romantic “Forever Be Mine,” and Asake injects bouncy energy into “Satisfaction.”. Rap‑Up noted that the album’s international lineup, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Offset, Nechie, and Asake, signals Gunna’s intention to end his YSL tenure with a global statement

The genesis of these collaborations sprouted months before The Last Wun dropped. Deeds Magazine recounted how a monochrome teaser clip surfaced, captioned “FOREVER,” showing Gunna and Wizkid trading melodies in a studio session and nodding along to a “glistening production.” That brief video stoked rumors, and when the official track list was later revealed that Burna Boy and Asake were also involved, fans erupted. A Nigerian Twitter user exclaimed, “Gunna is so wise. He peeped that he’s currently the biggest foreign artist in NG and he’s trying to cement that…by featuring the top 3 biggest NG artists currently.”

A relationship years in the making

Gunna’s connection to Afrobeats predates his 2025 record. His dalliance began in 2018 when Davido invited him to deliver a melodic verse on “Big Picture,” a sunny highlight from the Nigerian superstar’s A Good Time album. From there, he kept returning to African rhythms: he joined Nigerian gospel singer Victor Thompson on the uplifting hit “This Year (Blessings)” during a Los Angeles concert in 2023 and later jumped on the official remix. Months later, he teamed with veteran producer Sarz and Asake for “Happiness,” a buoyant blend of Afrobeats and amapiano. The song shot to No. 1 on Nigeria’s YouTube trending chart, and Gunna’s Instagram post celebrating the track was cheeky and self‑aware: “Gunna Wun Amapiano??! [Out now] [AfroWunna]”

The “Happiness” collaboration offered a taste of Gunna’s respect for Nigerian creators. Sarz told Complex that working with Asake and Gunna allowed them “ to tastefully blend genres” and create “a celebration of unity, cultural diversity and the universal language of happiness”. Asake echoed that sentiment, noting that while “a lot of people pay so much for happiness…creating a song that could fit in both worlds was magical”. Their comments underline how these cross‑continental partnerships are not simply marketing ploys but genuine artistic exchanges.

Lagos as muse

By December 2024, Gunna wasn’t just collaborating from afar; he was physically in Nigeria. He headlined Coca‑Cola’s Rhythm Unplugged festival at Flytime Fest, his African performance debut. According to Variety’s report, the show placed him alongside African stars and bridged “global and African music audiences”. Behind the scenes, he soaked up local life: Deeds Magazine notes that he spent time with Burna Boy in Lagos, filmed visuals, and even headlined the prestigious Rhythm Unplugged concert