Rocky Dawuni on why he lost out on Grammy Award

Reggae artiste Rocky Dawuni who lost the Best Reggae Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards believes he would have brought the honour to the nation if Ghanaians had given him the necessary support to be the first African to have won the award.

Speaking to Christian Agyei Frimpong, host of Onua 95.1FM flagship entertainment program “Anigye Mmre”, the artiste said, “Jamaicans had four artistes in that competitive category, the country gave them a massive support, through a number of promotions”.

Though Rocky Dawuni acknowledged that Ghanaians did a lot for him when he was nominated, he said, they should have gone the extra mile.

“It’s about time we stood behind our artistes, our music and our industry. We should keep projecting our industry and be consistent because it a means we can bring tourism into our country,” the African Soccer Fever hit singer said.

Rocky Dawuni further stated that industry players should see his nomination as an “opportunity and a big door that has opened” and fashioned out how to take advantage of it.

When asked if his nomination would have even be possible if he was based in Ghana, he replied, “Angelique kidjo,Youssou N’Dour and others who have won Grammys started locally but they had a very solid musical foundation in their country which propelled them. For me I had to carry that weight all alone, there was no record label to push me and have to use my own money to invest in my music gradually to grow”.”

He further remarked, “I don’t believe the idea that you have to be in America before you get nominated”.

Dawuni was nominated for his album ‘Branches of the Same Tree’. He made history as the first Ghanaian to have been nominated for that award, which is in its 58th year.

The event held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in the United States of America was hosted by LL Cool J.