The Meaning of "Igbo and Shayo" in Burna Boy's "Last Last"

Nov 17, 2025 0

How well do you know Nigerian culture? Are you familiar with modern slang used in Nigeria? For example, do you know what the phrase “Igbo and Shayo” means? Igbo and Shayo is a phrase popularized by Burna Boy’s song “Last, Last.”

In this song, Burna Boy sings about his heartbreak. In the chorus, he claims he needs “Igbo and Shayo.” In this context, Igbo means weed, and Shayo means alcohol. For Nigerians who speak the Yoruba language, “Igbo” is a slang word for Cannabis, also known as weed. Originally, this word means “forest” or “bush,” but words and their meanings can evolve, especially when they become a part of slang. Similarly, Shayo means alcohol and alcoholic drink.

However, Shayo means so much more than just alcohol or the act of drinking it. It also means happiness and joy. Think of all the situations and events during which one drinks alcohol. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, parties, the list goes on. With that in mind, Igbo and Shayo can simply represent partying and having fun by smoking weed and drinking alcohol. For many people out there, smoking and drinking is a crucial aspect of the party culture.

However, Igbo and Shayo can also be a form of escape. In Burna Boy’s song, the main character isn’t interested in partying. Instead, he is heartbroken because he broke up with his girlfriend. In short, the phrase Igbo and Shayo has a literal translation that means weed and alcohol, but the true meaning of this phrase is much deeper. At first, when Burna Boy says he needs Igbo and Shayo, you might think it is just another party song. However, this song is much more complex than that.

The Cultural Significance of Igbo

Apart from being a slang word for weed, Igbo is also the name of a large ethnic group in southeastern Nigeria. Igbo people make up approximately 15% of the Nigerian population, and their language is also called Igbo.

Read also: A History of Igbo Resistance

The Deeper Meaning of Shayo

We already mentioned that Shayo has a much deeper meaning for Nigerians. Shayo represents all those gatherings that bring people together. To celebrate the occasion, people usually drink alcohol. Igbo people and other Nigerians place a lot of value on communal activities. Their traditions are based on the spirit of togetherness.

"Last Last": A Song of Heartbreak and Resilience

“Last, Last” became a huge hit in Nigeria and South Africa, and it reached the top of several international Afrobeat and Hip-Hop charts. It seems that Burna Boy wrote this song from its own experience. He was in a relationship with the UK rapper Stefflon Don for two and a half years.

Although the "Ye" crooner didn't reveal too much about the inspiration behind the song, the single samples Toni Braxton’s R&B hit, "He Wasn't Man Enough," which was released in 2000 and spoke about an unfaithful ex-boyfriend. After a recent breakup, fans believe the song refers to the relationship Burna Boy had with UK rapper, Stefflon Don.

There are several notable parts of the song with strong messages:

Everything ends, and everyone will experience heartbreak eventually.
The feelings are swinging wild, like on a playground.
The relationship became toxic, and there was a lot of fighting and failed expectations.

We suggest you listen to the whole song yourself. Don’t let its catchy tune fool you; this song is about pain, disappointment, and despair.

In this song “Last-Last,” by Burnaboy, the artist sings about everybody eventually having to go through one issue or another at some point in their life. For some, they would be heartbroken while some may suffer loss. Speaking of heartbreaks, it seems like Burnaboy was the one that broke someone’s heart.

While we all know that alcohol and drugs aren’t the healthiest ways to cope with heartbreak, it is easy to relate to Burna Boy. Everyone has experienced heartbreak and pain at least once in their lifetime.

Notable Lyrics and Their Interpretations

Here are some notable lyrics from the song and their interpretations:

E don cast, Last Last, Na everybody go chop breakfast
[It has expired eventually; everybody will suffer heartbreak]

If you aren’t familiar with Nigerian slang, "to chop breakfast" in this context means everybody will eventually have a taste of everything, whether good or bad. Particularly, in this song, this means everyone can have his or her broken irrespective of their status, fame, or riches.

I dey Port Harcourt when dey kill Soboma.

Read also: Voice Translation: Igbo to English

This part of the song references the death of Soboma George. George was gunned down alongside his girlfriend on August 24th, 2010 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which is where Burna Boy was during George’s death. Although there’s no known direct connection between Burna Boy and George, it could still be inferred that tragedies, like that of George alongside his girlfriend, can occur when loving someone.

Now you crash your Ferrari for Lekki, Burna.

In this part of the song, Burna Boy casually mentions the February 2022 crash he had in Lekki with his Ferrari.

The Sample and Its Impact

Then, just over a month later, during a daily doom-scroll, I landed on Burna Boy’s Instagram teaser for his new single, Last Last, sampling the unmistakable acoustic guitar riff of Toni Braxton’s MTV Base-era classic He Wasn’t Man Enough. Instantly, I was in my cousin’s living room again, watching Braxton sway in her sheer silver flapper dress, crooning: “Don’t you know I dumped your husband, girlfriend? I’m not thinking ’bout him” in her deep and dulcet tones (a proverb I simultaneously lived, breathed and had no business singing aged seven).

Braxton allegedly received 60% of the royalties from Last Last according to Burna Boy. He later confessed he’d made more money from it than any of his other songs to date. The sample is prominent, but far from lazy. Instead, Burna flips it into his own deeply personal anthem - one that struck a major chord in the summer of 2022. Life’s a bitch, and Last Last is a poignant but ultimately triumphant ode to that fact.

In the song, Burna Boy flits from English to Yoruba, from pain and regret, to heartbreak, ill-fated love and even near-death experiences. Verse by verse, Burna Boy loses personal heroes, a potential soulmate (rumoured to be his ex, Stefflon Don) and - very nearly - his life.

The song’s bittersweet refrain - “E don cast, last last, na everybody go chop breakfast” - roughly translates from Nigerian Pidgin as: “The worst has happened. At the end of the day, at some point in time, everybody will get their hearts broken.” (“Breakfast is slang for breakups,” I’m told by my Nigerian polyglot friend.