Grammy Best African Music Performance Category Stirs Debate and Hope

Stories by Vanessa Obioha

Sometime last year,  the CEO of the Recording Academy (the organising body of the Grammys) Harvey Mason Jr met with Afrobeats creators in Ghana to consider adding an Afrobeats category to the Grammys. The meeting was fuelled by a social media outcry that demanded that the genre should be recognised by the academy, given that the sounds have attained global popularity with the likes of Burna Boy and Wizkid clinching awards in the Global Music categories.

While the Grammys eventually did not add an Afrobeats category, it announced a new category Best African Music Performance last week. The category as stated in a news release by the academy will recognise track and singles recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent. The African music genres eligible for this category include but are not limited to Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro-Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, High Life, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian Drill, Afro-House, South African Hip-Hop, and Ethio Jazz genres.

“These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” said Mason Jr.

Mixed reactions have greeted the addition with many welcoming the development as good for the continent.

“It means more attention and also more opportunities for African music,” remarked creative entrepreneur Obi Asika.

However, he pointed out that the category does not embrace all African music genres. For instance, there is no Naija Hip Hop, a genre that contributed to Nigerian music popularity or the traditional sound, Ogene.

“We always want all our music out,” he said.

While it remains uncertain whether these genres will be recognized if submitted for the 2024 Grammys, rising Afrobeats sensation Guchi considers the new category an important milestone for African music, “considering the progress made in the last 2 decades.” She described the development as a testament to the resilience of the continent and one of the positive results decorating the art’s global path.

“This is proof that the narrative is shifting through individual and collective efforts and while there’s more to be done, with this comes its own inspiration.” Critics, on the other hand, view the category as a devaluation of African music. They argue that it boxes the creativity of African music.

Over the years, the Grammys have made efforts to embrace various genres of music. They have expanded their categories to include not only pop and genres popular in the US, their country of origin but also categories specifically dedicated to communities like the Latin community. Despite these efforts, the Grammys have faced criticism for not adequately recognizing the achievements of the Black community, including notable artists like Beyoncé, who is yet to receive recognition in the coveted Best Album of the Year category. 

Like the Latin community, Africans can now have a dedicated category in the awards but it does not limit them from submitting their works in other fields such as the  Global Music categories or  Best New Artist category, as long as they meet the criteria of the Recording Academy. While the addition of the category represents progress, it is important to continue the dialogue around representation and inclusivity within major music awards.