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New Republic Barbados Names Rihanna As A National Hero

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Musician honoured for her ‘extraordinary commitment’ to Caribbean island as it makes a historic political transition.

Barbados has declared Rihanna a national hero after removing Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and entering a new era as a republic.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the 33-year-old Barbadian musician and entrepreneur would be conferred with the honour of National Hero of Barbados to cheers during a ceremony held overnight on Monday in the capital, Bridgetown, to mark the political transition.

Rihanna, a billionaire according to Forbes, was called up before the crowds to be congratulated by Mottley, the leader of Barbados’s republican movement.

“May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation by your works, by your actions,” Mottley told Rihanna, a reference to her 2012 chart-topping single “Diamonds”.

Mottley said the artist had commanded “the imagination of the world through the pursuit of excellence with her creativity, her discipline, and above all else, her extraordinary commitment to the land of her birth”.

Glittering music career

Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born in Saint Michael in Barbados and grew up in Bridgetown before moving to the United States as a teenager to pursue a career in music.

She has since become one of the best-selling artists of all time, winning top industry awards along the way, and branched out to create cosmetic and clothing businesses in recent years.

On the stroke of midnight, the new republic was born to the cheers of hundreds of people lining Chamberlain Bridge in Bridgetown 

In 2018, she was named as “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary” for Barbados, a role that involves promoting education, tourism and investment on the Caribbean island, which is home to nearly 300,000 people.

A year earlier, a Barbados street she used to live in was renamed Rihanna Drive in her honour.

Her latest recognition makes her the 11th Barbadian to have ever been honoured as a national hero. The only other living person to have received the same award is iconic cricketer Garfield Sobers, who was also present at Monday’s ceremony and hugged Rihanna.

Break with colonial past

Barbados, famous for its idyllic beaches, declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1966.

It has cast the removal of Elizabeth II, who is still the queen of 15 other realms, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Jamaica, as a way to finally break with the demons of its colonial history.

It will remain within the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.

But the birth of the republic unclasps almost all the colonial bonds that have kept the tiny island tied to England since an English ship claimed it for King James I in 1625.

It may also be a harbinger of a broader attempt by other former colonies to cut ties to the British monarchy as it braces for the end of Elizabeth’s nearly 70-year reign and the future accession of Charles.

The last time the queen was removed as head of state was in 1992, when the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius proclaimed itself a republic.

Entertainment Gists

Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits?

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Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶

 

 

Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.

The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.

And the big question now is:

Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂

Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.

One X user joked:

“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”

Another simply said:

“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”

But then came “Lembe.” 🔥

The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.

Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.

And it didn’t stop there.

‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED

On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.

One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.

From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.

Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:

Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥

So, let’s settle this once and for all:

Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?

Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇

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Entertainment Gists

RUAN-Badkid.96: The Unfiltered Voice Recommitting African Sound to Truth

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RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.

Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.

Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.

For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.

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Entertainment Gists

Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype

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If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.

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