Nigerian singer-songwriter Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has made history as the first female African artist to earn a Diamond-certified single in the United States.
Tems achieved the milestone through her collaboration with Future and Drake on the hit song “Wait For U,” which the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently certified Diamond after surpassing 10 million units in sales and streams across the U.S.
According to music analytics platform Chart Data, the Grammy-winning track has now sold more than 11 million units in the country.
Chart Data announced the achievement on X, writing:
US Certifications (@RIAA): Future (@1future) Feat. @Drake & @temsbaby, “WAIT FOR U” 11x Platinum (11,000,000).
The certification marks another major career milestone for Tems, who has continued to break barriers for African artists on the global stage.
Released in 2022, “Wait For U” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned widespread acclaim, later winning the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
With the achievement, Tems joins Wizkid as one of only two African artists to receive an RIAA Diamond-certified single.
Wizkid became the first African artist to reach the milestone through his appearance on Drake’s global smash hit “One Dance.”
Tems has enjoyed a remarkable rise in recent years, earning multiple Grammy Awards and collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Drake and Future.
Her latest milestone further cements her status as one of Africa’s most successful global music stars.