Controversy Over Shasha Marley’s Kora Award

When the news first hit the airwaves that Ghanaian Reggae Star Shasha Marley has been crowned the ‘King of Reggae Music’ in Africa at this year’s Kora All Africa Music Awards 2010,...

it was received with pomp and pageantry until another Reggae musician, a Ghanaian of course, stoked the embers of controversy by accusing Shasha of lying to the Ghanaian public.

Outspoken Radio presenter, Blakk Rasta, stated on his “Taxi Driver” show on Hitz FM that Shasha Marley had deceived Ghanaians because he (Shasha) didn’t win the “Reggae Artiste of the Year” award but was rather conferred on with the “Best Male Vocal Performance” award.

According to Blakk Rasta, it was a Nigerian based Reggae Musician King Wadada, who was adjudged the ‘Best Reggae Artiste”.

However, checks by peacefmonline reveals that both artistes won the same award on the night in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Easter Sunday 4th April 2010.

“Yes I won the award with Shasha Marley, but I won the main one and he is my runner up,” King Wadada told peacefmonline.com.

Shasha also insisted in an interview with peacefmonline that they both won the “Best Reggae Artiste” award. “My name was mentioned on stage as the winner, I went for my award and then King Wadada was also called to come for the same award, while I was leaving the stage,” Shasha said.

They both realized it was a double plaque but didn’t know who will be given the $20,000 cash prize that comes with the award.

Peace FM further spoke to the organizers of the event whose explanations rather exposed Blakk Rasta as the one fibbing.

Vitoria Nkong Personal Assistant to the Kora Awards boss and Line Producer of Kora Awards 2010, in an exclusive interview on Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review” elucidated that, “The decision by the Jury was that there was a tie between the two of them...So King Wadada from Nigeria and Shasha Marley both won the same award..it was a co-thing...Both of them were given a Kora Awards plaque and both can be addressed as “Reggae Kings of Africa,” she added.

Asked if there is any category in the Kora Awards for “Best Male Vocal Performance” as stated by Blakk Rasta, she replied in negative, stating "there is no category like that".

Touching on the $20,000 cash price that comes with the award, Victoria said the money will be divided equally between the two of them, so each one artiste walks home with a $10,000 cash price.