From Lagos to Côte d’Ivoire: Burna Boy’s Gripping Thriller 3 Cold Dishes Ignites Box Office with ₦24.6M Opening Weekend Haul

 In a seismic win for pan-African cinema, Grammy-winning Afrobeats titan Burna Boy’s executive-produced thriller 3 Cold Dishes has stormed theaters, raking in a blistering ₦24.6 million ($15,000 USD) during its explosive opening weekend. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the sun-drenched shores of Côte d’Ivoire, the multilingual revenge saga—directed by visionary filmmaker Asurf Oluseyi—has captivated audiences across Nigeria and beyond, blending high-stakes drama with unflinching commentary on human trafficking, resilience, and retribution.

Shot over three grueling years across Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mauritania on a modest $1 million budget, 3 Cold Dishes follows three survivors—Esosa (Osas Ighodaro), Fatouma (Maud Guérard), and Giselle (Ruby Akubueze)—who reunite after two decades to deliver icy justice to the traffickers who shattered their lives. Featuring powerhouse performances from Wale Ojo, Bambadjan Bamba, Fat Touré, and Tina Mba, the film pulses with Burna Boy’s original tracks, infusing its raw narrative with the rhythmic heartbeat of West African soundscapes. Co-produced by Burna Boy’s Spaceship Films alongside Osas Ighodaro, Bose Ogulu, and a coalition of pan-African partners including Black Mic Mac and Ifind Pictures, this debut marks the “African Giant’s” bold pivot from global stages to silver screens.

Fresh off sweeping the 2025 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) with wins for Best Nigerian Film and Best Young/Promising Actor (Ruby Akubueze), 3 Cold Dishes premiered as the opening film at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos on November 2, drawing a constellation of stars to its red-carpet spectacle. Now rolling out to 26 African markets—including Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—the film’s opening salvo signals a hunger for authentic, boundary-pushing stories that transcend borders and amplify silenced voices.

“3 Cold Dishes isn’t just a film; it’s a reckoning,” said Burna Boy. “These women’s stories of survival and strength mirror the fire in our music and our culture. Producing this was about owning our narratives—no apologies, no filters. The numbers prove Africa’s ready for cinema that hits as hard as our beats.”

Critics and fans alike are hailing the film’s taut pacing, stunning visuals—from Lagos’ neon-lit underbelly to Benin’s vast deserts—and its unyielding gaze on exploitation. “A pan-African powerhouse that serves revenge with style and substance,” raves Variety, while Pulse Nigeria calls it “an ambitious statement on African storytelling that demands global eyes.”

With international releases slated for France, the U.S., and Canada in early 2026, 3 Cold Dishes is poised to elevate Nollywood’s profile on the world stage, proving once again that Burna Boy’s influence knows no genre. Catch it in theaters now—justice has never tasted so cold.

Skepta Crowned British GQ’s First-Ever Man of the Year: A Grime Legend’s Long-Overdue Triumph in Fashion and Culture

 British GQ has shattered conventions by naming grime pioneer and cultural icon Skepta as its inaugural Man of the Year for the 2025 edition, a historic nod to the Tottenham-born visionary who has redefined urban music, streetwear, and British identity for over two decades. At 43, Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr.—better known as Skepta—steps into the spotlight not as an upstart, but as a legacy-builder whose raw authenticity and relentless innovation have finally earned the recognition they’ve always demanded. It’s about time.

From the gritty anthems of Konnichiwa that put UK grime on the global map to high-profile collaborations with Drake and Central Cee, Skepta has been a lightning rod for culture since his 2003 debut as a DJ with the Meridian Crew. His 2023-relaunched clothing label, Mains, has stormed London Fashion Week and powered blockbuster campaigns, blending bold graphics with tailored precision—exemplified by his geometric double-breasted suit at last year’s GQ Men of the Year event. Now, as he gears up for his first album in six years, tentatively titled Knife & Fork, Skepta reflects on a career that’s evolved from street clashes to festival curation with his Big Smoke event, all while championing the next generation’s creative freedom.

“Skepta isn’t just shaping 2025; he’s been the blueprint for British creativity all along,” said GQ Editor-in-Chief Dylan Jones. “In a year of sonic and screen royalty, naming him our first Man of the Year celebrates the unfiltered energy that’s always defined him—from Tottenham’s estates to the world’s stages. This isn’t a crown; it’s a coronation of the culture he built.”

Skepta’s feature graces the cover of British GQ’s December 2025 issue, part of “The People Who Shaped Culture,” alongside luminaries like Pierce Brosnan, Cynthia Erivo, Tom Hiddleston, and Maro Itoje. In an exclusive interview, the rapper opens up about his Nigerian roots, crediting his mother’s Princess Diana-inspired flair for his early style experiments (“She dressed me like Prince Harry as a kid”), and his shift toward legacy: mentoring young artists, separating art from life in the social media age, and embracing fatherhood without losing the fire that fuels tracks like “Shutdown” and “That’s Not Me.”

This milestone arrives as Skepta prepares to host the second edition of Big Smoke festival in south London, featuring a mix of heavy-hitters and underground talent. “I’m not from a time where hardship is the only path to success anymore,” Skepta told GQ. “You can create online, keep it separate—that’s the magic. At 43, I’m walking slower offstage, but the energy? It takes full control.”

The GQ Men of the Year 2025 awards ceremony, celebrating actors, musicians, TV stars, and sports icons who owned the year, takes place on November 18 at a star-studded London gala hosted by Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone. The full December issue hits newsstands on November 17, with digital access available immediately via GQ.com.

African Queen: A Blessing and a Curse – New Documentary Unveils the Dual Legacy of a Continental Icon

 In a groundbreaking exploration of triumph and tragedy, award-winning filmmaker Nia Okonkwo today announced the premiere of African Queen, a feature-length documentary that chronicles the meteoric rise and devastating fall of Amina “Queen” Balogun, the enigmatic entrepreneur whose empire reshaped Africa’s tech and beauty industries—only to collapse under the weight of scandal, betrayal, and unchecked ambition.

Hailed as a “blessing” for lifting thousands out of poverty through her revolutionary skincare brand and youth empowerment initiatives, Queen Balogun became a symbol of African excellence on the global stage. Yet, the film reveals how the same qualities that propelled her to billionaire status—ruthless innovation, unyielding charisma, and a refusal to play by colonial-era rules—became a “curse,” ensnaring her in corruption allegations, fractured family ties, and a public vilification that nearly erased her legacy.

“African Queen is not a celebration or a takedown,” said Okonkwo. “It’s a mirror. Amina’s story forces us to confront the cost of greatness in a world that worships success but punishes the successful—especially when they’re Black, female, and unapologetically African.”

The documentary features never-before-seen footage from Queen’s private archives, explosive interviews with former allies turned adversaries, and intimate reflections from the woman herself, recorded in exile. From her humble beginnings in a Lagos slum to her coronation as Forbes’ “Africa’s Richest Woman Under 40,” the film traces how her flagship company, AQ Beauty, disrupted a $10 billion industry—only to implode amid accusations of embezzlement and toxic workplace culture.

Key revelations include:

The Blessing: How AQ Beauty’s “Melanin Magic” formula created 50,000 jobs across 12 African nations and funded 200 schools for girls.

The Curse: Leaked emails exposing Queen’s role in a $300 million kickback scheme with government officials, and the heartbreaking fallout with her protégé-turned-rival, Zara Adebayo.

The Reckoning: Queen’s first public statement in three years, addressing her mental health spiral and the cultural forces that demonized her ambition.

African Queen premieres at the Pan-African Film Festival on December 5, 2025, with a global streaming release to follow on AfroStream in Q1 2026. The film is produced by Okonkwo Studios in partnership with the African Women in Media Initiative.

BURNA BOY MAKES HISTORY WITH FIFTH GRAMMY ALBUM NOD FOR NO SIGN OF WEAKNESS

Nigerian Superstar Becomes First African Artist to Secure Five Consecutive Album of the Year Nominations

Global Afrobeats icon Burna Boy has etched his name deeper into music history, earning his fifth consecutive Grammy nomination for Album of the Year with his critically acclaimed seventh studio album, No Sign of Weakness. The Recording Academy announced the 2026 Grammy nominees today, recognizing Burna Boy’s unrelenting dominance in global music.

Released in August 2025 via Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records, No Sign of Weakness debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart and has amassed over 1.2 billion global streams to date. The 16-track project, featuring collaborations with J Hus, Stormzy, and Tems, fuses Afrobeats, dancehall, and R&B into a bold sonic manifesto of resilience and self-mastery. Critics have hailed it as Burna Boy’s most cohesive and ambitious work, with Rolling Stone declaring it “a masterclass in evolution.”

This historic nod marks Burna Boy as the first African artist to achieve five straight Album of the Year nominations, surpassing his previous records with African Giant (2020), Twice As Tall (2021), Love, Damini (2023), and I Told Them… (2024). His 2021 win for Twice As Tall made him the first Nigerian to claim a Grammy in that category.

“Five in a row? That’s not luck—that’s legacy,” said Burna Boy. “No Sign of Weakness is for every giant who refused to shrink. Africa, we’re not just in the conversation—we’re rewriting the rules.”

The album’s lead single, “Tested, Approved & Trusted”, has spent 12 weeks atop the UK Afrobeats Chart and earned a Best Global Music Performance nomination. Burna Boy also secured nods in Best African Music Performance for “Higher” and Best Music Video for the cinematic “Bundle By Bundle” visual.

Burna Boy’s Grammy journey now totals 12 nominations and 2 wins, cementing his status as Afrobeats’ most decorated global ambassador. His 2025 No Sign of Weakness World Tour sold out arenas across North America, Europe, and Africa, including a record-breaking two-night headline at London’s O2 Arena.

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will air live on February 8, 2026, from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Nigerian Afro-Disiac Sensation EnergyBank Gears Up for Highly Anticipated Album Release: The Quiet Resilience Drops Tomorrow

Rising Afro-fusion powerhouse EnergyBank is poised to captivate audiences worldwide with the release of his groundbreaking six-track album The Quiet Resilience, set to launch tomorrow, November 13, 2025. Blending the sultry, seductive vibes of Afro-Disiac with raw emotional depth, this project promises a sonic journey through endurance, growth, and unyielding inner strength—cementing EnergyBank's place as a boundary-breaking voice in contemporary African music.

Born in the bustling streets of Lagos with deep roots in Anambra, EnergyBank channels the rhythmic pulse of Nigerian life into a cosmopolitan soundscape influenced by global icons like Craig David, Usher, and 2Pac Shakur. His signature Afro-Disiac genre—a mesmerizing fusion of Afrobeats, R&B smoothness, hip-hop grit, and highlife roots—delivers not just beats, but heartfelt anthems born from personal triumphs and trials. "This album is my quiet roar against the chaos," EnergyBank shares. "It's for anyone who's ever had to rebuild in silence. Afro-Disiac isn't just a sound; it's a feeling that lingers, heals, and ignites."

The Quiet Resilience unfolds across six meticulously crafted tracks: "Kum Kum," "Oldtaker," "Jumanji," "9/5," "Next One," and "End of Discussion." From the energetic, dance-floor pulse of "Kum Kum" to the introspective vulnerability of "End of Discussion," each song weaves storytelling in Pidgin English and Igbo, inviting listeners into a cinematic world of highs, lows, and quiet victories. EnergyBank's hiatus from 2022, spent honing his craft in the United Arab Emirates, infused the project with eclectic global textures—from Arabic pop echoes to subtle Russian folk undertones—making it a true reflection of his evolved artistry.

Since his breakout 2019 collaboration with legendary guitarist Fiokee on the highlife-infused "Ife Adigo," EnergyBank has built a devoted following with singles like "Dead President" and "ChopLife," which transformed raw lived experiences into anthems of hope and celebration. Now, with The Quiet Resilience, he's not just returning—he's redefining Afro-fusion for a new era, proving that resilience isn't loud; it's profoundly felt.

The album will be available exclusively on major digital streaming platforms starting November 13, 2025, including Spotify, Apple Music, Audiomack, Boomplay, YouTube Music, and Deezer. Fans are encouraged to pre-save now and join the conversation using #TheQuietResilience and #EnergyBankReturns.

About EnergyBank

EnergyBank is a multi-genre Afro-fusion artist hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, renowned for his innovative Afro-Disiac sound that captures the raw soul of contemporary Africa. With a career marked by collaborations, global influences, and unapologetic storytelling, EnergyBank continues to push the boundaries of African music, inspiring a generation to embrace their quiet strength.