It Must Be An Error – Reggie Rockstone Reacts To Omission Of Hip-Life From Grammys
Reggie Rockstone has said that the Grammys’ omission of the famous Ghanaian music genre (Hiplife) from its brand-new Best African Music category was the result of a typing error.
Reggie Rockstone said it was regrettable that the genre that has provided prominence to many Ghanaian artists has been disregarded by the Grammys’ Recording Academy at the show, which was hosted by Kwame Dadzie on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
“Here is another thing that came up. A lot of times when people talk about hiplife and highlife they get them confused. So somebody said to me ‘Reggie, it could have been a typo. So many times people have confused hiplife with highlife because they sound so similar.
“All the same, I am happy that we are in there because it could have gone the other way but it definitely became an eyebrow raiser when I realised the old lady hiplife wasn’t in there. The old lady’s grandmama is in there. That’s highlife. Even Mapouka is in there.
“Hiplife is what sparked the revolution and you can also go back and check before the re-emergence of Afrobeats with the ‘s’. And Nigeria knows this. We’ve always parlayed. We are cousins but you can never do without the old lady hiplife. You gotta be joking,” Reggie Rockstone said.
Tru News Report previously mentioned that the Recording Academy of the Grammy Awards has introduced a new category for African and Afrobeat music to its annual awards scheme.
In the latest entertainment news today, there will be three additional categories at the annual awards ceremony in 2024, one of which is Best African Music Performance. The other two are for Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Alternative Jazz Album, respectively.
The various musical traditions of the continent, including their melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic aspects, will be honoured in this section. Among the genres that may be included are 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.
It’s a huge deal that there’s now a category specifically for “Best African Music Performance,” since it means African musicians may finally get their music heard all around the world.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. was pleased to announce the updates, saying, “The Recording Academy is proud to announce these latest category changes to our awards process. 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.”
“By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists.” The move to relocate the Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year categories to the general field ensures that all voters can participate in recognising excellence in these fields. Mason added, “We are excited to honour and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.”
