{"id":3730,"date":"2026-07-21T05:30:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T05:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/?p=3730"},"modified":"2026-07-21T05:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T05:30:18","slug":"wizkid-and-drakes-come-closer-earns-gold-certification-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wizkid-and-drakes-come-closer-earns-gold-certification-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Wizkid and Drake\u2019s \u201cCome Closer\u201d Earns Gold Certification in France"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Wizkid and Canadian rap icon Drake have reached another international milestone as their hit collaboration \u201cCome Closer\u201d has officially been certified Gold in France, further highlighting the song\u2019s enduring popularity nearly a decade after its release.<\/p>\n<p>Originally released in 2017 as the lead single from Wizkid\u2019s critically acclaimed third studio album, Sounds From the Other Side, Come Closer marked one of the earliest high-profile collaborations between an African artist and a global rap superstar during the rise of Afrobeats on the international stage. The record quickly became a fan favorite, blending Wizkid\u2019s signature Afrobeats melodies with Drake\u2019s melodic rap delivery to create a cross-cultural hit that resonated with audiences around the world.<\/p>\n<p>The Gold certification in France is awarded by SNEP (Syndicat National de l\u2019\u00c9dition Phonographique) and recognizes the song\u2019s impressive commercial performance through a combination of streaming and sales in the country. The latest milestone adds France to the growing list of territories where Come Closer has achieved commercial success, underscoring the record\u2019s lasting appeal years after its initial release.<\/p>\n<p>The achievement also reflects Wizkid\u2019s continued dominance in one of Europe\u2019s largest music markets. Over the years, the Nigerian superstar has accumulated multiple certifications in France through both solo records and collaborations, reinforcing his status as one of Africa\u2019s most successful global exports. His influence has continued to grow as Afrobeats enjoys unprecedented popularity across Europe, particularly in France, where African music has developed a strong and loyal audience.<\/p>\n<p>For Drake, the certification adds another accolade to an already record-breaking career. The Canadian rapper has consistently embraced collaborations with artists from different parts of the world, and Come Closer remains one of his most celebrated partnerships with an African artist. The record helped introduce many international listeners to Wizkid\u2019s music and played an important role in expanding the global reach of Afrobeats.<\/p>\n<p>The milestone has also reignited conversations about the collaboration\u2019s influence, with supporters describing it as one of the defining crossover records that helped pave the way for the genre\u2019s worldwide success.<\/p>\n<p>Since its release, Come Closer has continued to perform strongly across streaming platforms, benefiting from consistent playlist support, user-generated content, and the enduring popularity of both artists. Its success has proven that the song remains a staple within Wizkid\u2019s catalog and one of the standout collaborations of his career.<\/p>\n<p>The Gold certification arrives during another remarkable period for Wizkid, who continues to collect international milestones while expanding his legacy as one of Africa\u2019s most influential artists. With chart success, sold-out tours, and an ever-growing list of global achievements, the singer remains at the forefront of Afrobeats\u2019 worldwide movement.<\/p>\n<p>As Come Closer secures Gold status in France, the collaboration stands as another testament to the lasting impact of Wizkid and Drake\u2019s musical partnership. Nearly ten years after its release, the song continues to resonate with listeners, proving that great music can transcend borders, cultures, and generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Wizkid and Canadian rap icon Drake have reached another international milestone as their hit collaboration \u201cCome Closer\u201d has officially been certified Gold in France, further highlighting the song\u2019s enduring popularity nearly a decade after its release. Originally released in 2017 as the lead single from Wizkid\u2019s critically acclaimed third studio album, Sounds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3731,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[160],"class_list":["post-3730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","author-urbanafrica"],"authors":[{"term_id":160,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"urbanafrica","display_name":"URBANAFRICA","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-FFB50F59-0D6C-491C-BACA-64123F72D056.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-FFB50F59-0D6C-491C-BACA-64123F72D056.jpg"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Emmanuel","last_name":"I","user_url":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/","job_title":"","description":"Top journalist covering music, entertainment, arts, and culture, delivering breaking stories and deep insights that shape the global conversation."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3730"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3732,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3730\/revisions\/3732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3730"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africahalloffame.org\/Home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}