Entertainment

How Winners Are Selected – Grammys’ CEO

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2024

Harvey Manson Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, the organising body for the Grammy Awards, has revealed how winners are selected for the prestigious music award.

This comes in the wake of the controversy surrounding the 2024 Grammy Awards, where several Nigerian artists, including Burna Boy, Davido, Asake and Ayra Starr could not secure a win in their respective categories.

Addressing the concerns in a viral video, Manson said that Grammy winners are chosen based on votes from members of the Recording Academy, who are music professionals in the United States.

He said that the selection process is not influenced by committees, labels, or journalists.

“You have to understand that the only way to win is to have the member of the academy vote for you. To be a member of the academy you have to be a professional, working in music in the United States for now. Hopefully, we grow that,” he said.

“But right now, if you are working professionally in the United States you can become a member of the recording academy.

“Once you are a member of the recording academy, all the music is submitted, the members listen to it and they evaluate it on the quality of the art.

“Not the sales, not the streams, not how many fans, but purely on the opinion. It is very hard, as you all know because it is subjective.

“It is no best song or best record, it is just the opinion of that membership of that particular year. That is how you win a Grammy. The voters vote. There is no committee, no journalist, and there are no labels.

“It is the music professionals voting for their peers,” he said.

Jay Z, the US rapper, also slammed the Grammy Awards for “never giving” Beyonce, his wife, ‘Album of the Year’ category in spite of her impressive record of 32 wins.

During Jay-Z’s acceptance speech for the Dr Dre Global Impact Award at the Grammys, he stated further: ‘“some of you will go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed, some of you may be robbed, some of you don’t even belong in the categories.”

Also, last year, Angelique Kidjo said the Grammy Awards need to embrace “diversity and gender equality” to survive.

Greg Carr, associate professor in the Department of Afro-American studies at Howard University, says the music industry was built on exclusion.

“Once exclusion was no longer an option, the inclusion of Black music has been curated, at least historically, very carefully, to absorb that music while minimizing black people,” he says.

Recall that the grammys snub sparked widespread disappointment and frustration among fans and the Nigerian music community.

Social media platforms are flooded with expressions of disappointment, as fans lament the loss of their favourite stars.

The Best African Music Performance category saw South Africa’s Tyla emerge victorious with her song, “Water”.

Also, in the much-anticipated Best Global Music Album category, Davido and Burna Boy fell short, with Shakti’s “This Moment” clinching the coveted award.

The hashtag, #GrammySnubNaija, trended on X formerly Twitter, with fans venting their frustration over what they perceived as a missed opportunity for Nigerian music to gain international recognition.

The Twitterverse became a virtual town square for fans to voice their disappointment, frustration, and disbelief.

NaijaMusicLover tweeted, “I can’t believe what I just witnessed. All our hopes dashed in one night. Davido and Burna Boy deserved better.”

X user, @AfrobeatsQueen, shared a meme of a shocked face, captioned, “Me watching the Grammys realising they really snubbed our Nigerian kings. #ShameOnGrammys.”

@NaijaJollofQueen wrote, “This is beyond heartbreaking. Our artistes have been making waves globally, and the Grammys failed to acknowledge their impact. Disappointed but not defeated. We’ll keep shining.

In a series of passionate tweets, @MusicAficionado expressed, “It’s not just about winning awards. Nigerian music has influenced the world. Our artistes have elevated the game. Grammy or not, we are a force to be reckoned with. #NaijaStandUp.”

Celebrities also joined the conversation stating, “Sending love and respect to our stars who gave their all. We see your hard work and dedication. The Grammys might have missed it, but the world knows who runs the show. #NaijaToTheWorld,” they said.

In spite of the disappointment, some X users emphasise the need to focus on the bigger picture.

@AfrobeatInsider tweeted, “Let’s not forget the impact Nigerian music has made globally. Awards are just one part of the journey. Our artistes have opened doors for Afrobeats worldwide. The movement continues.”

Burna Boy received four nominations in 2024: Best Melodic Rap Performance (“Sittin’ on Top of the World” with 21 Savage); Best Global Music Performance (Alone); Best African Music Performance (City Boys) and Best Global Music Album (I Told Them).

Entertainment

AFCON 2025: Davido Wins $96,000 After Super Eagles Beat Tanzania

Published

1 day ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Grammy-nominated singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has recorded a financial win following Nigeria’s opening victory at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Ahead of the Super Eagles’ Group C match against Tanzania on Tuesday, the singer placed a $25,000 bet that both teams would score during the encounter.

He later shared a screenshot of the betting slip on his X page with the caption, “Let’s get this W Nigeria.”

The prediction proved correct on Tuesday night in Fes, Morocco, as Nigeria defeated Tanzania 2 to 1, earning Davido a payout of $96,564, estimated at about N140 million.

The match did not start on a positive note for Nigeria, as Tanzania scored first against the run of play.

The Super Eagles, however, responded strongly, drew level, and went on to secure the win through a late goal by Ademola Lookman.

The victory gave Nigeria a start to their campaign and improved their chances in Group C as they pursue a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.

This is not the first time Davido has publicly supported the Super Eagles with a high-value wager.

Before Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Gabon, he staked $10,000 on a Super Eagles victory and both teams to score. Nigeria lost the match, and the bet was unsuccessful.

The Super Eagles will face their next Group C opponents as they aim to build on their opening win and secure early qualification for the knockout stage.

Davido’s win comes days after the 33-year-old singer featured at the opening ceremony of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where he joined global music stars at the tournament’s kick-off event.

Moments before hosts Morocco faced Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Davido led the ceremony’s flagship performance titled Le Show, alongside French Montana and Moroccan producer RedOne.

The performance ranked among the most visually striking opening moments in AFCON history, blending music, light and movement in a carefully choreographed display aimed at a global television audience beyond Africa.

Davido appeared as one of Africa’s most influential music figures of the modern era, reflecting the continent’s growing cultural presence on the world stage.

As described by the Confederation of African Football, “the Nigerian Afrobeats star has helped carry African music onto the world’s biggest stages, with a sound associated with celebration, confidence and continental pride, qualities CAF believes mirror the spirit of the Africa Cup of Nations.”

French Montana, who was born in Morocco and raised in the United States, also performed, with his appearance highlighting Morocco’s position as host and its cultural links between Africa and the wider world.

Completing the trio was RedOne, the Moroccan-born producer whose work has shaped global pop music across continents.

Entertainment

How Don Jazzy, D’banj Betrayed Me – JJC Skillz

Published

1 day ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Nigerian singer Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, has accused his colleagues, Don Jazzy and D’banj, of conspiring with others to betray him many years ago.

In a recent interview with Echo Room, JJC claimed that the duo and others betrayed him despite his accommodating, feeding and clothing them as struggling artists in the UK.

He said, “Don Jazzy, Dbanj, Ayo, DJ Abass; all of them conspired against me. Taz brought a guy called Don Jazzy to me, and Ayo came through Abass. I met them because they were running a TV station.

“One day I came to them and said, ‘You guys are obviously well connected to Nigeria, and me, I am a JJC. I just need somebody to introduce me to the right people to work with in Nigeria.’ And they accepted that they were going to help me and they connected me to Bankulli.

“Don Jazzy and D’banj were under me then. So, these people who were supposed to introduce me back home to Nigeria, had plans that I didn’t know about. Then I heard something from Ruggedman saying that D’banj said I cheated them when they were working with me in the UK and that they are leaving my group.

“I was shocked because nobody knew them back then, I was the one taking them to shows, accommodating, feeding and clothing them. So, how can I be cheating when you haven’t made any money?”

Entertainment

Pericoma: Speed Darlington Speaks On True Biological Parents

Published

2 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Controversial rapper Darlington Okoye, aka Speed Darlington, has revealed that the late traditional music icon, Damian Azubike Nwankwo Okoye, popularly known as Pericoma, was not his biological father.

Speaking in a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, Darlington explained that his mother, singer Queen Achakpo, had him before her marriage to Pericoma.

He, however, stated that he grew up in Pericoma’s house and that the music legend treated him well, just like his other sons.

“Pericoma is my stepfather. I grew up in his house. I was on the cover of one of his albums along with my two half-brothers. I was very young when I went to his house; I was probably nine,” he said.

Speed Darlington added that the late music icon was very accommodating, contrary to superstitious rumours that portrayed him as dreadful.