Harvey Mason jr. had a transformative experience during his visits to various African countries.
In 2022, the Recording Academy CEO connected with leaders in the local music communities and listened to their perspectives.
“Mind-bending. Game-changing. Eye-opening,” Mason jr. described his trips to Africa. “There’s so much music, so much creativity over there. Africa is the birthplace of, well, everything, but definitely music.”
The myriad of sounds emanating from the African continent cannot be simplified to just those with international impact today, such as Afrobeats or Amapiano.
With this in mind, the Recording Academy has introduced a new GRAMMY category for the 2024 GRAMMYs: Best African Music Performance.
Alongside two other new GRAMMY categories, this category elevates all kinds of African music, from Afrobeats to kizomba to Ghanaian drill to South African hip-hop.
According to Mason jr., the new category is just the “first step toward a much bigger, more fruitful journey ahead.” He emphasized the importance of representing music from the African region fairly and accurately.
To learn more: 2024 GRAMMYs: 4 Things To Know About The New Categories & Changes
To celebrate the new category, GRAMMY.com spoke with industry leaders to discuss the inspiration behind the category, its impact on the global music industry, and the future of African music.
These interviews were edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
Harvey Mason jr. Photo: Emma McIntyre by Getty Images
Harvey Mason jr.
CEO, The Recording Academy
Harvey, you’ve spoken extensively about your recent travels to a number of African countries. I’ve got to imagine those trips informed the new Best African Music Performance category.
Absolutely. I’ve done three trips to Africa in the last year. I spent a lot of time listening to and hearing from the music community there. There’s such a massive amount of talent and creativity in that region, and we’re starting to see that penetrating the U.S. market and global market — with Afrobeats and Amapiano and other African genres becoming so popular, driving the sound, and dictating the creativity of artists that are not from that region. You’re seeing collaborations and features happening around those genres, which are becoming so popular and are moving the music landscape.
During my time there, I heard from the African music industry, and they all felt like they weren’t being represented in our GRAMMY Awards process. It was an eye-opening experience to see the love and respect for the GRAMMYs and the Recording Academy from the continent of Africa. But it was also disheartening to think that they weren’t being heard in our process.
That’s why I’m really excited about this new GRAMMY category. And I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of submissions we get and what impact that has on the genres coming from Africa.
It’s great to see the Recording Academy’s purview spanning the entire African continent — not just popular sounds like Afrobeats or Afro Pop.
It was important for us to make sure we tried to include as many genres as possible, knowing that we were not going to be able to put all the genres being created across the continent.
We can’t cover every genre as much as we’d like to and as much as they deserve to be recognized, so this is the first step toward a much bigger, more fruitful journey ahead. And we’re not done as an Academy: We’re making sure that we represent music from that region fairly and accurately.
To learn more: Love Burna Boy & Wizkid? Listen To These 5 African Genres
Can you tell me about the deliberations behind the scenes at the Recording Academy that led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance GRAMMY category?
Deliberations were pretty brief and succinct. Everybody acknowledged the importance of the music coming from that region, and everyone was supportive of the idea. The conversation really centered mostly around the nomenclature — what we were going to call the category — and how we were going to ensure that we represented all the different music that’s coming from the region fairly, accuratelyThe Recording Academy’s Journey to Inclusivity
Once it became clear that covering everything was not feasible, efforts were made to appropriately and fairly name the category in a way that would encourage broad participation from as many people as possible.
Ghazi, CEO/Founder of EMPIRE, emphasized the need for the Recording Academy to continue respecting all music, not just Western music. The hope is for the Academy to keep evolving and embracing new genres and markets, going deeper into different music styles and honoring more music from Africa and other parts of the world. The future direction of the Recording Academy is aimed at fostering equity and celebrating music from all over the globe.
Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe, GM of African strategy at Sony Music and Co-founder of No Wahala, recounted the efforts to push for the creation of the Best African Music Performance category at the Recording Academy. The strategy involved forming cultural bonds, exchanging knowledge, and uniting to champion the goal within the organization. This collaborative approach ultimately led to the successful inclusion of the Best Global Music Album category in 2020, paving the way for more advocacy to recognize African music.
Both Ghazi and Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe stressed the importance of the Recording Academy’s global mission to support music creators and professionals worldwide. They envision a future where the Academy establishes a presence on every continent, working alongside diverse music communities to provide support for artists and creators on a global scale.
It’s an exciting time for music, with the potential for significant growth in international music in the years to come. The emphasis is on the Recording Academy’s role in fostering this growth and supporting music from all regions of the world.Making African Music Shine Globally: An Interview with Shawn Thwaites
Shawn Thwaites, a Project Manager at The Recording Academy, shared his optimistic view on the influence of African music on the global pop scene. He emphasized the need to acknowledge African icons of past generations for opening doors that inspired the current wave of African music stars.
Thwaites highlighted The Recording Academy’s efforts to bridge gaps and amplify African artists, songwriters, and producers, expressing excitement about the future of African music within the Academy and beyond.
Thwaites discussed the significance of creating the Best African Music Performance GRAMMY category, stating that it celebrates the diversity and richness of African music. He also explained the deliberations behind the scenes that led to the category’s creation and the process of selecting nominees.
Looking ahead, Thwaites emphasized the importance of the international music industry celebrating the diversity of African music and promoting cultural exchange through collaborations and artist relations. He underscored the role of The Recording Academy in recognizing and supporting musicians from diverse backgrounds to create a more inclusive and diverse global music community.Rikki Stein. Photo: Chantal Azari
Rikki Stein
CEO, Kalakuta Sunrise LTD, a holding company for Knitting Factory Records and Partisan Records
Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category?
Stein: I have always believed that Africa has a lot to offer to the world, and its potential has yet to be fully recognized. The inclusion of Best African Music Performance as a GRAMMY category is a significant step in showcasing Africa’s cultural treasure, especially its music, to the world.
One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?
Stein: There are countless young artists seeking recognition, but we must also acknowledge the previous generation of artists whose music continues to resonate with fans globally. For example, as Fela Kuti’s friend and manager, I am gratified to see the enduring popularity of his music even 25 years after his passing, reaching listeners across the world. It’s important to recognize the timeless contributions of such artists.
In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?
Stein: After promoting African music for over 50 years and facing numerous challenges, I am pleased to see progress in breaking down barriers. The recognition of Best African Music Performance at the GRAMMYs is a significant development in this regard.
Julian “Juls” Nicco-Annan. Photo: Dbcaptures
Julian “Juls” Nicco-Annan
Record producer, DJ and songwriter
Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category?
The creation of the Best African Music Performance category by the Recording Academy is a remarkable addition, given the significant impact of African culture and music on a global scale. It’s essential to showcase the influence and power of African sound and culture on a prestigious platform like the GRAMMYs for the world to recognize.
One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?
It’s a challenging task to condense the rich diversity of African music into a short list of nominees. Currently, the focus tends to be on West and South Africa, while the incredible talent from East Africa deserves more attention. It’s crucial for African voices to be represented within the Recording Academy to advocate for diverse talent. Representation is imperative.
In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?
In order to elevate and honor the African music community and industry, conducting thorough research into the influential figures shaping the genre in recent years is crucial. Engaging with those documenting the journey of the genre and considering an African equivalent of the GRAMMYs would be invaluable, as Latin America has experienced with great success.
This new GRAMMY category shows how the Recording Academy is truly a global entity with a global mission to support all music creators and professionals. Where would you like to see the Recording Academy go from here in its global mission to support the international music community?
To further its global mission to support the international music community, the Recording Academy should focus on recruiting more members and organizing seminars to educate artists and management about the GRAMMY Awards process. Bridging the gap and providing proper information is essential to connect with the music community worldwide.
What are some African music albums, songs or artists you’re personally enjoying right now and would like to shout out?
Currently, I am enjoying Davido’s album Timeless, particularly the hit record “Unavailable.” I am also appreciating the depth of Worlasi’s The.rap.y album, addressing important social issues. Additionally, I have released a single with South African musician Ami Faku called “Terrified,” and I am enjoying J Hus’ new record, “Who Told You.”
Read the full article,## Mobolaji Kareem: Elevating African Music
*Mobolaji Kareem*
*Regional Head West Africa, EMPIRE*
The *Best African Music Performance* category created by the Recording Academy is important because it provides a platform for the diverse genres of music from the 54 countries in Africa. This move allows artists and songs from the continent to be globally recognized and celebrated.
To elevate and honor the African music community and industry, the international music industry needs to increase exposure and inclusion of African music. Mainstream music and sporting events, radio stations, and other platforms should integrate African music into their programs for maximum impact. Additionally, representation and involvement of African voices in decision-making processes is crucial to ensuring the exposure and reach that African music deserves.
In terms of personal recommendations, artist *Burna Boy* and songs like *Love Damini* by *Asake*, *Work of Art*, *The Villain I Never Was* by *Black Sherif*, and *No Bad Boy, No Party* by *Bad Boy Timz* are noteworthy.
The Recording Academy’s step to recognize African music through the new category is a significant move that will provide the continent’s music with the exposure and acclaim it merits.
