What a Wizkid Grammy win would mean for Afrobeats
'Made in Lagos' continues to top charts 12 months after its release and getting the gramophone will certainly improve the dynamics for the coming generation of stars.
It’s another day at the AfroDives office and I am pleased to announce that we have crossed the 50-subscriber mark! Considering that we started from ground zero, this is a huge one. The journey to 100 has begun already. Can we hit that before December?
The last issue of AfroDives which was about the impact of social influencers on politics threw up some reactions. There was an opinion that too much is expected from our entertainers. A member of the community reached out to argue that they are human beings who are no different from other people who are not doing anything as well. They simply want to enjoy their art.
The feedback is well-appreciated and we look forward to more in the coming weeks.
Another thing one should also look forward to in the coming weeks is the Grammys shortlist for the year 2022. Billboard revealed earlier in the week that Wizkid’s latest album, Made in Lagos, has been submitted for the category “Best Global Music Album” ahead of the 64th edition of the globally acclaimed awards.
That would make it the third year in a row that the category formerly Best World Music Album would feature a Nigerian album. Burna Boy’s albums featured two years in a row, with his win coming at the second attempt while Made in Lagos would continue the trend for Afrobeats in what has been a glittering season of ascent over the past years.
Apart from the whole album, Essence, which has essentially been not only the song of the summer but also the song of the year, also has a strong Grammy appeal. It probably won’t be surprising if it gets a ‘Song of the year’, ‘Record of the year’. I mean, it’s the Afrobeats season!
More than just Wizkid, success at the Grammys would be a win for Tems, the collaborator of the year, for Legendury Beatz, for the entire African culture. Just like Wizkid told RollingStone in an interview,
“…if the world can pay attention to one artist from Africa, why can’t they pay attention to all?”
It would then make stronger the argument of some that Afrobeats deserves a dedicated category at the Grammys. Nonetheless, Burna’s streak at the Grammys, including Wizkid’s win also paves the way for the coming generation of Afrobeats artistes. They need not struggle for recognition like the older generation(s) did.
Music fest begins
For humans, this might be the autumn season but going by the music calendar, this is spring! The rain of music projects has already begun, with Buju who has had a remarkable career turnaround releasing Sorry I’m late. Mayorkun is Back in Office, The Cavemen are back with Love and Highlife while Phyno is about to have Something to live for. Zlatan’s forthcoming RESAN means the streets are about to get hotter.
My advice at this point? Clean your ears and get a new set of headsets. It’s about to get loud.