2023 Nominations: Should The Grammys Matter To African Acts?
As you may know, two Nigerian musicians received nominations to the 2023 edition of the Grammy Awards: Burna Boy for his single “Last Last” in the Best Global Music Performance category and his album “Love, Damini” in the Best Global Music Album category. “Wait For U”, Tems’ collaboration with American rapper Future, scored two nominations for Best Melodic Rap Performace and Best Rap Song.
It appears that the Grammy Academy has finally woken up to embrace Nigerian music more than they had since the days of Sikiru Adepoju and King Sunny Ade. It’s safe to say that modern Nigerian music, known mainly as Afrobeats, is experiencing a rise in global audiences. What was previously the exclusive preserve of Nigerians is now Nigeria’s gift to the world. In the last four years, Afrobeats acts have joined the Kuti dynasty in receiving nominations, leading to Burna Boy’s win for “Twice As Tall” in 2021. Eedris Abdulkareem first sang about winning the Grammy on his track “Live In Yankee” in 2003, then 9ice followed suit on “Street Credibility” in 2008 before Skales’ “Heading For A Grammy” in ‘09. All those times, the idea of an artiste who is not Fela or Femi – or indeed, Angelique Kidjo (whose ancestry is Yoruba from Nigeria anyway) getting close to the Grammy was a dream; now it’s almost like a given. The meteoric rise of Nigerian music in the last decade has driven it to new heights, and people from other cultures are embracing it.
However, a section of the audience has questioned the need for the Grammys to be a benchmark by which the success of the Nigerian music scene ought to be measured. As with many things, Grammy nominations and eventual wins are controlled by external influences, often from Europe and America. It is valid that our music, including our art and culture, need not be made for the Western gaze or validation of external figures. Music, at its core, is primarily for self-expression.
Except that music is not necessarily for self-enjoyment. It is a gift to be shared with the rest of the world. And when those people start to enjoy it, they tend to want to reward it and place it on a pedestal. I think that is where Afrobeats is right now: we’ve conquered Africa (sorry to other African genres and musicians who are just as astonishingly talented), and now the world is there for the taking.
Furthermore, declaring that the Grammys aren’t necessary is denying a simple fact: that it is, for a point, the highest level of award in the global music industry. It’s like playing football and declaring that winning the league title or the World Cup isn’t essential because footballers only play to enjoy the game. Any athlete worth the name has won all of those titles on their to-do list.
One of the things that I noticed as the Grammy nominations were announced was American rapper Jay Z (who, along with his wife Beyonce, became the joint highest nominated artists in Grammy history with 88 nominations each) taking a photo with all his 21 Grammy plaques. Now, this is Jay Z – regarded widely as the greatest rapper of all time, one of the highest-selling artists of all time, and who, for many years, boycotted the Grammy Awards. Even Jay Z still cherishes the Grammy as a symbol of his excellence.
So should the Grammys matter to African acts? By all means. It is the pinnacle of musical excellence, and until that changes, it will be necessary to musicians, even if they tend to downplay it. Taking it seriously doesn’t mean that it has to be the sole reason that artists make music; it’s just an incomparable measure of international success. And even if artistes make their music for that honour, who’s to tell them it is wrong? Because it isn’t. Certain things are priceless: a Grammy award certainly is.
PS: I know a nomination does not guarantee a win, but I’m almost sure that Tems and Burna Boy will win at least one each. Tems’ vocals on “Wait For U” drove that song, similar to what it did for essence. Future is already highly esteemed for his melodic vocals, so I won’t be surprised if the track wins in that category. And anyone who has heard “Last Last” will find it to argue that it isn’t the song of the summer. I think it is Burna’s takeover of the American market. When he wins his next Grammy, we’ll discuss the cultural importance of that single track.
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Should The Grammys Matter To African Acts?
