Lady Dentaa Amoateng MBE, CEO of GUBA Enterprise, recently shared that Ghana is not among the founding members of the Grammy Africa initiative. This new venture, launched by the Recording Academy, aims to support music creators in the Middle East and Africa by partnering with local Ministries of Culture and stakeholders. It provides platforms, advocacy, and specialized training through GRAMMY GO, celebrating the region’s musical heritage and encouraging cross-cultural exchanges within the global music community.
In an interview on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Lady Dentaa explained that Ghana missed out on becoming a founding member due to not meeting certain prerequisites set by the Recording Academy. Despite this, Ghanaian artists remain eligible for award nominations, though the country won’t host related events. The founding members currently 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,” Lady Dentaa said.
She attributed this situation to Ghana’s failure to meet specific resources and requirements necessary for participation. “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.
However, Lady Dentaa noted that the opportunity is not entirely lost. Ghana, alongside Ivory Coast, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and fulfilling the remaining criteria could secure their position as founding members and unlock additional opportunities.
Discussing the significance of Grammy Africa for the continent’s creative industries, Lady Dentaa highlighted its potential to open up 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.”
She drew a parallel to the Latin Grammys, which have celebrated Latin music for 25 years, emphasizing that having a dedicated platform for African music would provide cultural recognition, global promotion, economic opportunities, industrial growth, and a boost in tourism.
The Grammy Africa initiative represents a significant step toward recognizing and celebrating the rich musical heritage of Africa and the Middle East. While Ghana’s initial 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.
