Drake to headline London’s Wireless Festival, Burna Boy’s “Alone” achieves Gold certification, Vinicius Jr. buys second division club. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
1. Drake to headline all three nights of London’s Wireless Festival
IT’S BEEN A WHILE BUT THE BOY IS HOME 🇬🇧
For our 20th anniversary.… @Drake will headline all THREE nights with three different setlists.https://t.co/TYiE06jNRA for pre-sale info.
General sale on Wednesday 19th Feb at 12pm GMT.@burnaboy @partynextdoor @IAMSUMMERWALKER… pic.twitter.com/CfmMGq0DnC— Wireless Festival (@WirelessFest) February 16, 2025
Drake is set to make history as the first artist to headline all three nights of London’s Wireless Festival, marking a milestone for the festival’s 20th anniversary. Taking place from July 11 to 13 at Finsbury Park, the Canadian superstar will deliver three distinct performances, each featuring a unique lineup of special guests. Kicking off the festival on Friday, Drake will be joined by PARTYNEXTDOOR, with the setlist expected to highlight tracks from their new collaborative album, “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.” R&B singer Summer Walker is also slated to appear, adding to the star-studded opening night.
Saturday’s performance, titled “Drake & The Mandem,” will showcase the rapper’s deep ties to the UK music scene, with rumored appearances from British rap heavyweights Skepta, Giggs, Central Cee, Dave, and Headie One. Wireless Festival will close on Sunday with an Afrobeats and Dancehall-infused set, as Drake shares the stage with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy and Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel. With such an impressive lineup, Wireless Festival 2025 is shaping up to be one of its most memorable editions yet.
2. Burna Boy’s “Alone” achieves Gold certification
Burna Boy’s “Alone” has sold over 500K units in the US pic.twitter.com/YV49AtXVtn
— 49th. (@the49thstreet) February 16, 2025
Nigerian music superstar Burna Boy has added another international accolade to his name as his song “Alone” officially earns Gold certification in the United States. The track, featured on the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack, has surpassed 500,000 units in sales, making it eligible for certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Released in November 2022, “Alone” captivated audiences with its emotive lyrics and powerful production, further cementing Burna Boy’s global influence in the music industry.
This achievement marks yet another milestone in Burna Boy’s impressive career. His 2022 hit “Last Last” was certified Platinum by the RIAA in March 2023, making him the first African artist to have two solo songs reach that status in the U.S. Additionally, “Ye,” his 2018 anthem, also received Gold certification in January 2023. Beyond the American market, “Alone” has been recognized globally, earning Gold certification in France in September 2023 and Silver certification in the United Kingdom in January 2024.
3. South Africa: Uncle Waffles becomes first female artist to grace cover of Rolling Stone Africa
Uncle Waffles covers RollingStone Africa 🧡 pic.twitter.com/J84ckMFGvK
— 49th. (@the49thstreet) February 15, 2025
In a historic moment for African music, Uncle Waffles, born Lungelihle Zwane, has become the first female artist to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone Africa. The amapiano star shared the exciting news with her fans on social media, simply captioning the cover reveal, “Cover girl, thank you Rolling Stone Africa.” This milestone not only solidifies her influence in the global music scene but also highlights the growing recognition of South Africa’s amapiano movement.
D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda, CEO of Rolling Stone Africa, emphasized the significance of the cover feature, stating that Uncle Waffles was chosen for her ability to represent an African success story that resonates with young audiences. “She is not only making history for herself but for the entire amapiano and Afro House community in South Africa,” Smeralda said. Known for her electrifying performances and unique style, Uncle Waffles continues to break barriers, further cementing her role as a trailblazer in African music.
4. Kel-P and Wande Coal announce release date of joint EP
🚨 Kel-P & Wande Coal will release their joint EP “Best of Both Worlds” on Friday, February 28. 📀🤝 pic.twitter.com/3exTRGlWOf
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) February 17, 2025
Afrobeats heavyweights Kel-P and Wande Coal have officially announced the release date for their highly anticipated joint EP, “Best of Both Worlds.” Set to drop on February 28, the six-track project marks their first collaboration of the year. This announcement follows the release of their latest single, “Old Soldier,” which has already generated excitement among fans.
In a recent interview with Wonderland, the duo revealed that the EP has been years in the making. Kel-P shared that work initially began in 2019, with plans for a 2020 release, but the project faced delays. Wande Coal added that what started as a creative experiment soon evolved into a full body of work. “Timing is everything,” he said. “Now, I feel like the world is ready for what we’ve created.” With the EP finally complete, fans are eagerly counting down to its release.
5. Vinicius Jr. buys second division club
🚨 Vini Jr. has agreed to buy Portuguese second tier side F.C. Alverca, he and his partners have become majority owners of the club, purchasing 70-80% of the Lisbon-based outfit, claim UOL 😳🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/82roxfLJxj
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) February 18, 2025
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has officially completed the takeover of Portuguese second-division club FC Alverca, joining a consortium of Spanish and Brazilian investors in acquiring the team. Former owner Ricardo Vicintin has sold his stake in the club, with the new ownership group set to be unveiled in the coming weeks. The current club CEO, Matheus Ornelas, will continue to manage Alverca until the end of the 2024-25 season as the transition takes place. The move sees Vinicius follow in the footsteps of his Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé, who purchased a majority stake in French side Caen last year.
With this investment, Vinicius becomes the second player in Real Madrid’s squad to own a European football club, further emphasizing the growing trend of footballers diversifying their portfolios beyond the pitch. Alverca, which competes in Liga Portugal 2, will be looking to benefit from the Brazilian forward’s influence and financial backing in their quest for top-flight promotion. Meanwhile, Vinicius remains focused on his commitments with Los Blancos, as he prepares to face Manchester City in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday.
Featured Image: @champagnepapi/Instagram
Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.
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