Lady Dentaa Amoateng MBE, CEO of GUBA Enterprise, has disclosed that Ghana is not among the founding members of the pioneering Grammy Africa initiative.
Lady Dentaa Amoateng MBE, CEO of GUBA Enterprise, has disclosed that Ghana is not among the founding members of the pioneering Grammy Africa initiative.
GRAMMY Africa intends to celebrate the region’s musical heritage and encourage cross-cultural exchanges within the global music community.
However, during a conversation with Andy Dosty on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Lady Dentaa explained that Ghana missed out on becoming a founding member due to unmet prerequisites set by the Recording Academy.
The country will not host related events while Ghanaian artists remain eligible for award nominations. The founding members include Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa.
“It is somewhat unfortunate, but the agreement that was supposed to be signed did not happen, so currently, those four countries will be able to host the Grammys. It doesn’t stop any artist from being nominated, but it is just the hosting and other benefits that the country will have. Currently, Ghana is not a part of it,” she said
Lady Dentaa attributed the situation to Ghana’s failure to meet resources and requirements. “I believe it concerns resources and a few things that the country will need to be part of it, which I cannot disclose on the radio,” she added.
Despite this setback, Lady Dentaa noted that the door hasn’t closed entirely on this opportunity. She revealed that Ghana, alongside Ivory Coast, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and meeting the remaining criteria would secure their position as founding members, along with additional opportunities.
Discussing the significance of Grammy Africa for the continent’s creative industries, the GUBA Enterprise head emphasized its potential to unlock various business prospects for Africans.
“It means a whole lot because when you look at the Grammy Awards and the 90 awards that they give, they cannot recognize the entirety of Africa’s music; the variety of music that we do on the continent is vast. It comes with different languages, among other aspects, and this allows us to celebrate Africa.
“When you look at the Latin Grammys that have been going on for 25 years, it is dedicated to celebrating Latin music, and so to have our own, it will afford us cultural recognition, it will promote us on the global stage, and it will create economic opportunities, industrial growth, and boost tourism,” she noted.
The Grammy Africa initiative represents a significant step towards acknowledging and celebrating the rich musical heritage of Africa and the Middle East. While Ghana’s exclusion as a founding member is regrettable, the country remains poised to join this influential platform in the future, promising exciting prospects for its music industry and cultural representation.
