I woke up Sunday morning to the news that Sarkodie had not been nominated for the Artiste of the Year category for the VGMA's and I knew we were in for another one of those run-ups to Ghana's biggest [and only truly prestigious] music award.
As if struck by an epiphany; my prediction was quite spot on, and I have followed in awe the bickering, complaints and criticisms that have made the news since the release of the nominees' list.
It’s all a lot of noise and quite frankly a waste time to focus energies on criticising the "good men" on the VGMA board for their "faultless" decisions.
These are the men who have the greatest and deepest understanding of the music industry and in whose hands lay the very important decisions that are supposed to take the music industry to the "next level."
The next level in which "the biggest artiste on the scene is not deemed fit to be nominated for Artiste of Year, but other half baked acts regarded widely as having more in business acumen than musical talent or whose biggest song of the year was only so thanks to another artiste - are deemed much better fit to be candidates for the biggest and most prestigious award for artistes on our scene.
This same board seems to believe that a song that was unarguably one of the biggest hits in the year under review does not deserve a nomination; not even in the "Popular song of the year" category.
I dare say, the impact of Guru's "Lapaz Toyota" can compare to any of the so-called "Most Popular songs" released in the year under review.
They also decided that, artistes with little or no mainstream success, who have managed to get their names out there as a result of the influence of their "managers”, can get nominations ahead of artistes who have truly put in work and entertained Ghanaians all throughout the year under review.
I beg to ask the question, "How did the likes of Natural Face and even Lousika" end up with nominations? Unless, having your song receive heavy rotation on one radio station or having a well connected manager is enough to earn you nominations in this town. Wait, a minute, isn’t this familiar turf? Haven’t we been here before?
Aren’t we making the same complaints we have been making over the last 3 no 4, no 5 years or even more. My sympathy goes out to the member of the VGMA board, and Charterhouse, the predictable annual bickering and complaints must be getting really boring for them. I bet, to them, critics in the music industry are beginning to sound like broken records singing the same chant every year; and they must be tired of it.
That must be case, because Charterhouse and the VGMA board are obviously not listening anymore or simply don’t care you think.
They seemingly couldn’t be bothered if you complained or if artistes were de-motivated as a result of their "far from smart" decisions; and so we need to stop complaining and just enjoy the show.
My candid advice to all the critics and "un-nominated and angry artistes out there": Hope that Charterhouse is kind enough to hand you a pass or complimentary to witness the spectacle.
If not, you may just have to buy a ticket - which may probably cost about GHC150 regular or more this year - or be like me, sit at home, grab a beer, tune in to GHone [so they can get some viewers at least] and enjoy the show.
That is, of course, if ECG don’t take away the lights or until end of their day's transmission.
One thing must always remain on our minds that the music industry is far bigger than the Ghana Music Awards. But for now, life still goes on to "THE NEXT LEVEL!
