Tems has made history as the first African female artiste to earn a Diamond-certified single in the United States, after her 2022 collaboration with Future and Drake, “Wait For U,” surpassed the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) 10-million-unit threshold.

Chart Data, which tracks RIAA certifications, put the actual figure even higher, confirming the song has sold over 11 million units, translating to an 11x Platinum status. The achievement makes Tems only the second African artist ever to reach Diamond level, following Wizkid, who first broke that ground in 2016 with “One Dance.”

US Certifications (@RIAA): Future (@1future) Feat. @Drake & @temsbaby, WAIT FOR U 11x Platinum (11,000,000).

— chart data (@chartdata) July 17, 2026

Diamond certification remains one of the rarest honours in American music. RIAA awards it only to songs that combine massive sales with years of sustained streaming performance, a bar most hit records never come close to clearing. That “Wait For U” has crossed it says as much about the song’s staying power as its initial success.

The song first arrived in 2022 as the lead single off Future’s I Never Liked You album, and it took off almost immediately, becoming one of the biggest records of that year. It won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2023 Grammys. The track’s foundation is a sample of Tems’ own “Higher,” a track already known for its emotional weight, which gave the song its distinctive, melancholic core. Years after its release, the song remains one of the trio’s most-streamed collaborations, continuing to pull in new listeners and stream numbers that helped push it toward Diamond status.

 

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The milestone adds to what has already been a landmark stretch for Tems. She is now the best-selling female African artist in the United States, with songs including “Essence,” “Free Mind,” “Higher,” “Me & U,” and “Found” having already earned Platinum or Gold certification. She also became the first Nigerian to win two Grammy Awards, taking home Best African Music Performance for “Love Me Jeje.” Separately, “Wait For U” made her the first African female artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify with a single song.