Toyin Adekunle
Seni Saraki, son of former Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki, has etched his name in music history by securing his first Grammy Award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
A graduate of the prestigious London School of Economics, Seni co-founded The NATIVE in 2016, a platform dedicated to celebrating African youth culture. His significant contributions to the creative industry have seen him play key roles in major projects, including the Nigerian segment of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in 2023, collaborating with renowned artists such as Rema, Fireboy, Tems, and Burna Boy.
His latest triumph comes from his involvement in the production of ‘Bob Marley: One Love—Music Inspired by the Film,’ a tribute album celebrating the legacy of the legendary reggae icon. This album won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, a recognition of the hard work and passion invested by all contributors.
Seni’s mother, Toyin Saraki, proudly shared the news on Instagram, highlighting his role as the CEO of NATIVE Networks and his collaboration with Island Records and Paramount Pictures in producing the award-winning soundtrack.
The 17-track album, featuring innovative renditions of Bob Marley’s timeless classics, triumphed over strong contenders, including Collie Buddz’s Take It Easy, Vybz Kartel’s Party With Me, Shenseea’s Never Gets Late Here, and The Wailers’ Evolution.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who served from 2015 to 2019, also took to social media to celebrate his son’s remarkable achievement.
Reflecting on the win, Seni expressed his gratitude and excitement, emphasizing the dedication of the team and artists involved in the project. “It’s surreal. I was brought into the project to bring some artists together, and they did an incredible job. This is my second time working on a soundtrack of this nature, and the experience has been phenomenal,” he said in a post-award interview.
The soundtrack, released by Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong and Island Records in February 2024, features an array of top-tier artists such as Daniel Caesar, Kacey Musgraves, Wizkid, Leon Bridges, Shenseea, Farruko, Jessie Reyez, Mystic Marley, Bloody Civilian, and Skip Marley.
Seni expressed deep appreciation for the talented artists, producers, and engineers who embraced the challenge of reinterpreting Marley’s classics. “Bob Marley is an icon, and for these artists to take on his songs and make them their own is a testament to their artistry. Bloody Civilian, Wizkid, Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar—they are all phenomenal,” he said.
