Academy considers adding Afrobeats category to Grammys
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. announced the news during a press conference in Ghana.
The Recording Academy is considering adding an Afrobeats category to the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, said Harvey Mason Jr., the organization’s CEO, at a press conference this past weekend in Ghana. Mason claims he and other Recording Academy executives “just had a meeting literally about six or seven days ago with leaders from the Afrobeats community” to discuss the potential move in a video clip of the conference that was tweeted by TurnTable Charts, a Nigerian chart analytics platform and magazine.
“We had a virtual listening session where we heard from Afrobeats creators and just talked about ‘What are the different subgenres? What are the needs? What are the desires?,’” he adds. “And my goal is to represent all genres of music, including Afrobeats, at the Grammys.”
However, Mason makes it plain in the video that the choice is not yet final.
“I don’t decide categories,” he explains. “The categories are decided by proposals submitted by members. The members can say ‘Harvey, I want an Afrobeat category…’ So that process has started now. I think the listening session last week was very important, very valuable, and a the step towards that path.”
PulseNets
has contacted the Academy for more information.
The Recording Academy is now considering an Afrobeats category at the annual Grammys ceremony 🏆
Harvey Manson Jr., the CEO of The Academy, revealed in an interview with the press in Ghana over the weekendpic.twitter.com/kZuXpMoCJS
— TurnTable Charts (@TurntableCharts) September 26, 2022
With scene leaders like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Olamide Fireboy DML, Asake, Adekunle Gold, and Temmie Ovwasa advancing the trend, afrobeats has recently experienced an explosion in popularity.
