Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards to be held on Dec. 15
The Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards (GRDA) will return for its second edition on Sunday, December 15, 2024. This announcement was made during a stakeholder engagement session held in Accra, attended by key figures from the music industry, including musicians, DJs, and media representatives. The session served as a platform to discuss the genre's future and its vital role in Ghanaian culture.
This year's GRDA aims to celebrate the contributions of various individuals in the Reggae and Dancehall scene, recognizing the hard work of musicians, producers, DJs, MCs, selectors, live bands, and performance artists dedicated to promoting these genres in Ghana. The awards will include a variety of categories, honoring exceptional talent in both song and album categories. Awards such as Best Reggae Song, Best Dancehall Song, Best Reggae Album/EP, and Best Dancehall Album/EP will be presented, alongside accolades for Best Reggae Video and Best Dancehall Video.
In addition, the GRDA will recognize collaborative efforts with categories like Best Collaboration (Reggae/Dancehall) and Best International Collaboration. Behind-the-scenes contributions will be acknowledged with awards for Best Producer, Best Selector, and Best Performer. The event will also celebrate individual artistry with awards for Best Male Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Female Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Songwriter, Best New Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), and Best International Artiste. Special recognition awards will include Most Promising Artiste, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Best Sound System Ghana.
At the engagement, Daddy Bosco, a board member of the GRDA, emphasized the need to honor the Reggae and Dancehall genres, which have significantly shaped Ghana's music landscape yet often go unrecognized. He remarked, “The Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards aims at filling a significant gap in the Ghanaian music industry. An awards festival solely dedicated to Reggae and Dancehall is long overdue.” He pointed out Ghana's vital role in the African Reggae Dancehall community, noting that while Highlife remains iconic, Reggae and Dancehall have gained prominence, even influencing other genres like gospel music.
Despite their impact, Bosco noted that these genres have not always received the recognition they deserve. He highlighted the successful international concerts featuring both Jamaican and Ghanaian artists as evidence of the genre's strength and appeal.
A distinctive feature of the GRDA is its voting process, which relies solely on the academy and board members for winner selection, ensuring fairness and transparency by minimizing the risk of vote manipulation. Nominations for the 2024 GRDA opened on October 10 and will close on November 10, with a Nominees Jam event planned for December 13.
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