Wizkid, Tems Excluded As Grammy Releases African Award Winners’ List

Ahead of the 66th Grammy Awards on February 4, the Recording Academy, the award’s organizers, has revealed a list of African artistes who have been recognized since the 1960s.

However, this unveiling has stirred controversy on social media due to the noticeable absence of Nigerian music sensations, Wizkid and Tems.

The rundown highlights Miriam Makeba, the late South African songstress, as the first African winner of a Grammy award. Following suit, Sade Adu, the pop sensation, solidified her place as the first Nigerian to clinch this global accolade. Burna Boy stands out as the most recent and final Nigerian artiste to bag the prestigious Grammy.

Here’s the Grammy Award – Africa Winners List:

– Miriam Makeba (South Africa) — Best Folk Recording (with Harry Belafonte) – 1966

– Sade Adu (Nigeria/UK) — Best New Artist – 1986

– Ali Farka Touré (Mali) — Best World Music Album – 1994

– Cesária Évora (Cape Verde) — Best Contemporary World Music Album – 2004

– Youssou N’Dour (Senegal) — Best Contemporary World Music Album – 2005

– Angélique Kidjo (Benin/France) — Best Contemporary World Music Album – 2008

– RedOne (Morocco) — Best Dance/Electronic Album – 2010

– Tinariwen (Mali/Algeria/Libya) — Best World Music Album – 2012

– Burna Boy (Nigeria) — Best Global Music Album – 2021

– Black Coffee (South Africa) – Best Dance/ Electronic Album — 2022

Despite Wizkid and Tems both securing Grammy wins in 2021 and 2023 respectively, questions arose about the criteria used for the list. Some users on social media speculated that the omission might be due to their wins as featured artistes, yet the precise reasons for their absence remain unclear.

The 2024 Grammy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, February 4, in Los Angeles. The organizers have introduced the ‘Best African Music Performance’ category to recognize African artists, with nominees including Asake, Olamide, Tems, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr. The controversy surrounding the exclusion of Wizkid and Tems continues to generate discussions about the transparency of the Grammy selection process.

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