Culture moves fast, and pop culture moves even faster. To make sure you never miss a moment, The House Chronicles is keeping you updated with a breakdown of everything fun, notable and attention-grabbing from the past week.
Here are the biggest pop culture stories you should know about.
1. Olu Jacobs died at 84
One of the biggest Nigerian entertainment stories of the week was the death of veteran actor Olu Jacobs, who died on September 16 at 84. His wife, Joke Silva, and their family confirmed his passing, ending years of false reports about his death.
Jacobs had one of the longest and most influential careers in Nigerian theatre, television and film, becoming one of Nollywood’s most respected actors over several decades.
2. Burna Boy is taking Afrobeats to the NFL in Paris
Burna Boy has been announced as the halftime performer for the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Paris. He will perform at the Stade de France on October 25, when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the New Orleans Saints.
It’s another major crossover moment for Afrobeats and American sports. There’s also a nice full-circle element: Burna Boy already headlined the Stade de France in 2025.
3. Davido announces a three-day December concert at the National Theatre
Davido at MSG in New York City (Photo: @deedsmagazine, @noemadnyc, @shakes_jr / Instagram)
This Detty December, Davido is taking over the newly remodelled National Theatre for a three-night concert residency.
The announcement adds another major event to what is already shaping up to be a packed December entertainment calendar in Lagos.
4. AFRIMMA returned and Nigeria had a big night
AFRIMMA returned to Dallas on September 12 after a two-year break, bringing together music, fashion, food and African creative culture.
Nigerian artists dominated much of the awards conversation, with Davido taking home Album of the Year for 5IVE. Tems, BNXN, Phyno and others also picked up awards throughout the night.
5. Lady Gaga became a mum
Lady Gaga and fiancé Michael Polansky welcomed their first child this week. The couple have largely kept their family life private, with reports of the birth surfacing around September 11 and 12.
6. Tyla is still sitting at the top of Afrobeats
On the September 12 Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, Tyla’s “Water” remained at No. 1, extending its extraordinary run on the chart to 158 weeks.
The song’s staying power continues to make it one of the biggest Afrobeats crossover hits in recent years.
7. Tems joined Ayra Starr as the only female Afrobeats artistes with projects over 1 billion streams
This past week, Tems’ Born In The Wild crossed the 1 billion streams mark joining Ayra Starr’s The Year I Turned 21 as the only projects by Nigerian female artists with a project that has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify.
