Topline: Multi-award winning South African-born Comedian and The Daily Show host, Trevor Noah, will be hosting arguably the biggest night in music at the 2021 63rd Grammy Awards at the end of January, the Recording Academy announced on Tuesday. 



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We’re thrilled to welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDailyShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheDailyShow</a> host, Emmy-winner, and GRAMMY-nominee <a href="https://twitter.com/Trevornoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TrevorNoah</a> as the host of the 63rd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a>! We can’t think of a better person to serve as Master of Ceremonies for Music’s Biggest Night. 🎶 <a href="https://t.co/vbFqPbXfgl">pic.twitter.com/vbFqPbXfgl</a>&mdash; Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) <a href="https://twitter.com/RecordingAcad/status/1331233988535435265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Before the 2021 Grammy Nominations were announced, the Recording Academy announced that Grammy-nominated comedian, Noah, would be hosting the award ceremony that will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2021.&nbsp;</li><li>This will be the first time Noah hosts the awards, which Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President and CEO of the Recording Academy say will be an unforgettable and incredible evening as Noah has a “knack for keeping viewers engaged and entertained.”&nbsp;</li><li>“Trevor&#8217;s comedy talents, engaging energy and unique perspective make him the perfect host for the Grammys,&#8221; said CBS Entertainment Group President and Chief Executive Officer George Cheeks added in a statement.&nbsp;</li><li>Noah’s “Son of Patricia” scored a Grammy nomination in 2019 for his comedy album. However, the award ended up going to Dave Chappelle’s “Sticks &amp; Stones.”&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h3>



&#8220;Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for Best Pop Album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event,&#8221; Noah said in a statement on Tuesday. &#8220;I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder, I&#8217;m not trying to catch Corona). See you at the 63rd Grammys!&#8221;



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">In a year that most human beings would love to forget, there has been one constant force that has brought us together &#8211; Music. I’m truly honoured to be hosting The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a>, a night celebrating all of our favourite artists who’ve helped keep us sane while we’re all stuck indoors! <a href="https://t.co/rmFuBjWeJk">pic.twitter.com/rmFuBjWeJk</a>&mdash; Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trevornoah/status/1331301131906117637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading </h3>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielshapiro/2019/08/16/the-highest-earning-stand-up-comedians-of-2019/?sh=7f9f9c4842fa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Highest-Earning Stand-Up Comedians Of 2019 (FORBES</a>



<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/arts/2019/08/20/trevor-noah-is-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank/">Trevor Noah Is Laughing All The Way To The Bank (FORBES AFRICA)&nbsp;</a>

62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards – Show

Trevor Noah Announced As Host For 2021 GRAMMYs

What happens when one of Africa’s global comedians meets an African global recording artist? African greatness, that’s what. Burna boy was interviewed on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, making it a proud moment for Africans world wide.



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South African born comedian Trevor Noah hosted Nigeria’s singer and song writer, Burna Boy on The Daily Show on Tuesday night.



Born Damini Ogulu, Burna Boy spoke about his recipe for Afro-fusion
music, performing at Coachella and producing his album African Giant.



In a video released showing behind the scenes footage, Trevor Noah
expressed his love for Nigeria.



“That’s the one thing I’ve always loved about Nigeria; it’s the love of
Nigeria from Nigeria. If every African could have that, ‘we love our thing’,”
Trevor refers to the zeal Nigeria has about their talent.



While at the show Burna Boy performed a medley of songs Ye and &nbsp;Anybody.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Watch my brother <a href="https://twitter.com/Trevornoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Trevornoah</a> and I on the daily show tonight @ 11pm EDT <a href="https://t.co/n1GFX5CeUJ">pic.twitter.com/n1GFX5CeUJ</a>&mdash; Burna Boy (@burnaboy) <a href="https://twitter.com/burnaboy/status/1161448269492494336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Burna Boy who is one of this year’s <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/30-under-30/2019/07/01/30under30-creatives-category-2019/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Forbes Africa 30 under 30 (opens in a new tab)">Forbes Africa 30 under 30</a> list makers made waves recently after releasing his much anticipated album earlier this year.



The album was released in July and includes hit songs like African Giant, Dangote, Spiritiual, and international
artists like Jeremih, Future, Damian Marley and Jorja Smith.



In the album categorized as afrobeats has some Fela Kuti influences, he
asserts himself as an African and conveys the message of how Africa should not
be marginalized.



“I am an AFRICAN GIANT and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means,” he wrote on Instagram.



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="2010 all over again: a musical extravaganza to honor Nelson Mandela (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/arts/2019/02/11/2010-all-over-again-a-musical-extravaganza-to-honor-nelson-mandela/" target="_blank">2010 all over again: a musical extravaganza to honor Nelson Mandela</a>



The album was released a month after he won the BET Award for the Best
International Act at the end of June.



Already garnering thousands of listeners and viewers on platforms such
as YouTube and Apple Music, Burna Boy has teamed up with Spotify to launch Burna Bank.



Inspired by the artwork for the African Giant album, Burna Bank is, “the
installation features a unique ATM which will be dispensing custom, collectible
bills designed by Sajjad Musa. 



Each bill is inspired by Burna’s Nigerian roots, and his quest to call
out corruption and the disproportionate distribution of wealth.”



The Burna Bank is an ATM that distributes these notes and launches this
week making him one of the first African musicians to have his own currency.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Peak <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AfricanGiant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AfricanGiant</a> levels: having your own currency 🔥. Check out <a href="https://twitter.com/burnaboy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BurnaBoy</a>’s ATM this week in NYC and RSVP to the launch right here: <a href="https://t.co/zkOJNWfIRr">https://t.co/zkOJNWfIRr</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BurnaBank?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BurnaBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/uaJCJgotjI">pic.twitter.com/uaJCJgotjI</a>&mdash; Spotify (@Spotify) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spotify/status/1161046142924328961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Another one of his wins this year was recording a song with Grammy award
winner Beyoncé, in a single titled Ja Ara
E as part of her The Lion King:The King
Album.



Burna Boy continues to prove he is a force to be reckoned with as an
African giant and continues to put the continent on the map.

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Burna Boy’s The African Giant Debuts On The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

When a veteran American comedian and actor Jon Stewart retired as the anchor of The Daily Show late in 2015, after 16 years at the helm, his producers scrambled to offer the job to everyone from Chris Rock to Amy Schumer. They settled on the fresh face from South Africa, with an unusual accent, to dissect and satirize the complex United States political scene as it heads for this year’s elections.
Months before the first show went to air, on September 28, American journalists were skeptical. They didn’t believe Trevor Noah could fill Stewart’s shoes in a show that once captured 3.57 million viewers when Barack Obama breezed through on the cusp of his 2008 election victory.
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Bad reviews followed and Noah’s viewership has fallen compared to the days of Stewart. Seven months on, before a press gathering on set, to mark his 100th show, the 32-year-old from Soweto is unfazed.
“It makes sense to me, if my ratings weren’t down I would be offended on behalf of Jon Stewart. It would make sense that people are going to see the king on his way out, when you’re building a new legacy you need to do exactly that. That means building on a new legacy. Television as a whole is down in America. The biggest thing you have to acknowledge is that there are multiple streams of viewership that are happening now,” says Noah.
Despite the drop in popularity among American viewers – the Nielsen ratings report a 37% decline – it broadcasts to 170 countries, compared to 163 when Noah took over.
“These ratings aren’t disastrous, but considering that politics are the bread and butter of late night television, Noah’s numbers are disappointing. Given this preposterous election season, the material practically writes itself. In Jon Stewart’s 2011-2012 season, his nightly average was 1.7 million viewers,” says Hayley Cuccinello a New York-based TV critic.
The show also generates an average of 67 million monthly streams across digital platforms, in 2016, up 22% against 2015.
Noah says the rise of the web is changing people’s viewing habits as millennials switch from television to the internet. His critics agree that these millennials are supporting Noah.
“I like Trevor’s show, I think his take is unique and he is not necessarily copying Jon Stewart. He is kind of doing his own style, maybe a little bit more humorous and characterizations. He is inspired by Jon but he is not just doing imitation of him. The brand of The Daily Show itself is enough to get people interested, especially online, I think Trevor is doing a good thing with social media. I personally don’t watch it on TV a lot but watch it on Facebook and YouTube clips, so I think social media has helped him reach out to people, not necessarily on TV, he has to branch out on other outlets,” says 24-year-old Nader Salem, from New Jersey.
Indeed, the audience at Noah’s 100th show on April 28, in Manhattan, had many people from afar. There were a number of South Africans, supporting their own, including the South African Broadcasting Corporation correspondent in New York, Sherwin Bryce-Pease, and Sunday Times’ entertainment writer Azizzar Mosupi, who flew in for the show.
“We are SAA (South African Airways) employees. It is mandatory for every African in New York to make time for the show. We love Trevor. He is an inspiration to every African child. He is the living proof anything is possible,” says Zanda Setlaleleng.
“I watched Jon Stewart and I have been watching Trevor Noah as well, I didn’t realize today is the 100th show, I am glad I am here tonight. Trevor is very different from Jon but pretty great too. He has a very different view of things that I think people can learn from. I appreciate his sense of humor. Hundredth show on my birthday, there you go,” says Fiona Charlton, a visitor to New York from Britain.
On the night of the show, Noah ran to the stage, fired up, in a black tailored suit and tie. He made the house rules clear to the cheering audience: “This thing is like a sex tape – people watch to get off on seeing both people having a good time… So, you have to give me your all because I am going to give you mine.”
Noah prides himself in a diverse team of scriptwriters who advise him on issues of religion, nationality and gender.
“There’s nothing off limits, it’s just what are you trying to do with a joke. Even before The Daily Show I always liked jokes that bring people together, and jokes that build the nation. In South Africa I made jokes about the president, to his face, for many years. He knows me, people in Parliament know me. That never stopped me from engaging with them and them engaging with me. There’s an implicit understanding. The worst thing that can happen is when somebody takes your joke to hurt another person or group when you didn’t intend to do that.”
Noah stepped into the comedy scene through a dare. In the early 2000s, he was a regular at the comedy clubs in Johannesburg. One night the host called for newcomers to take the microphone, his drunk friends pushed Noah on stage.
That night, Noah slayed them in the aisles and never looked back. In a few years, he would become the country’s favorite comedian, playing to packed houses, and the host of Tonight With Trevor Noah on M-Net across Africa.
Noah says South Africa will always be home and he keeps tabs on the political scene. He is not eligible to vote in the US elections he comments on nightly, but on August 3 he will be one of many South Africans casting their vote at the embassy in New York for in the municipal elections back home.
“Over the years travelling, performing comedy all over the world and now doing The Daily Show, I have learned if you stay true to yourself and if you are proud of who you are and where you come from, that in itself becomes the mantle. I love telling jokes about South Africa and Africa, I will go for the disparaging comments that people think are stereotypes of the continent. I myself, in many ways, a complete juxtapose of what people think of the continent. I am a South African, you can smell it on me,” he says.
Noah grew up crammed into a small house in Soweto, where he shared a room with his stepbrothers and cousins where he peed in a bucket in the mornings. His mother, a Xhosa woman, had a child with his father, a Swiss-German, which was against the law in apartheid days. Noah recalls his mother had to dress like a domestic worker and his father had to walk on the other side of the street to avoid the attention of police on family outings.
“I was born a crime,” Noah often joked.
Whatever the ratings say, it is clear Noah intends to joke through the storm. As a fellow African in New York I put my money on him having the last laugh at the expense of his detractors.

Tag: The Daily Show

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Trevor Noah Announced As Host For 2021 GRAMMYs

Burna Boy’s The African Giant Debuts On The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

“I Am A South African, You Can Smell It On Me”