The recently concluded 66th Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 4, 2024, stirred disappointment and discontent among Nigerian celebrities, as none of the country’s artists secured a win in their respective nominated categories.
This unusual outcome, marking the first time Nigerian artists left the prestigious awards ceremony empty-handed, has sparked notable reactions from the country’s entertainment industry.
Media personality, Adeshope also known as Shopsydoo took to social media to express his dissatisfaction, questioning the essence of the Grammy Awards and criticizing the decision to award Tyla’s Water. He argued that the Grammys lack understanding of Afrobeat culture and suggested that Nigerians should reconsider their engagement with the event. Shopsydoo also pointed out a peculiar incident where Fela Kuti’s Water No Get Enemy was played instead of Tyla’s winning track during the announcement.
Music journalist, Joey Akan shared similar sentiments, expressing disappointment over the lack of recognition for Nigeria and Afrobeats at the Grammy Awards.
Celebrity dancer, Poco Lee captured the unexpected moment of Tyla’s win on Instagram Live, showcasing his shock at the Recording Academy’s decision.
Nigerian singer, Cynthia Morgan, despite not being a fervent fan of Davido, expressed sympathy for the artist, suggesting that even one award could have brought peace to the country.
Special Spesh, Davido’s hype man, voiced his displeasure with the Grammy results, accusing the organization of attempting to control successful genres like Afrobeat. He asserted that the results won’t discourage the Afrobeats community and pledged not to allow the Grammys to undermine African music.
Singer, Teni, visibly saddened by the loss, shared a video expressing her disappointment, especially losing to a South African counterpart. She called on the Super Eagles to secure a win against South Africa in the upcoming AFCON match.
Popular skit maker, OGB Recent joined the chorus of dissatisfaction, labeling the Grammys as corrupt and asserting that the Headies, a Nigerian award ceremony, is superior. He questioned how Tyla’s Water triumphed over Davido’s Unavailable.
Nollywood actor Ikechukwu Onunaku echoed the sentiment that Nigerian artists were used by the Grammys and called for a shift in focus. He suggested that artists stop sending Grammy submissions and focus on creating their own recognition platform without attaching the Grammy name to it.
In light of these varied responses, the aftermath of the 66th Grammy Awards continues to stir discussions within the Nigerian entertainment scene, raising questions about the global music industry’s acknowledgment of Afrobeat and African talent.
“The Grammy has no clue”
– Shopsydoo pic.twitter.com/FW89mtaLv7
— 🐬 @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) February 4, 2024
But Grammy for no just invite us at all nah!! 😒
— NaijaEverything 🤴🏽 (@biggestblogger_) February 4, 2024
How Tyla water won over unavailable shows how corrupt Grammy is, headies award better pass am
— Ó.G.B (@OGBdeyforyou) February 4, 2024
Good morning to everyone, Grammy is not the end of the world, Davido is still the greatest Artist ✌🏾
— Ó.G.B (@OGBdeyforyou) February 5, 2024
