Daddy Bosco
The organisers of the second edition of the annual Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards (GRDA) have announced that the awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
This was revealed during a stakeholder engagement session in Accra, when industry players, such as DJs, musicians, and media representatives, convened to talk about the genre’s future.
The accomplishments of several individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting reggae and dancehall in Ghana, such as musicians, producers, DJs, MCs, selectors, live bands, and performance artists, will be recognised by this year’s awards programme.
There will also be special recognition awards such as Best Sound System Ghana, Most Promising Artiste, and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Speaking at the stakeholder engagement, Daddy Bosco, a GRDA board member, emphasised the significance of appropriately acknowledging and honouring dancehall and reggae, which have been a crucial but frequently disregarded aspect of Ghana’s music industry.
“A major void in the Ghanaian music business is intended to be filled by the Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards. It’s long overdue for Ghana to launch an awards ceremony devoted only to reggae and dancehall,” he said.
He emphasised that Ghana is an important part of Africa’s Reggae Dancehall scene, and has played a major role in the development of the genre.
Daddy Bosco shared that while highlife remains iconic, reggae and dancehall have grown to become dominant genres across the country and continent, even influencing gospel music.
Officially, the 2024 GRDA nominations opened on October 10 and are anticipated to end on November 10. On December 13, there will be a Nominees Jam.
Some of the categories include Best Collaboration (Reggae/Dancehall) and Best International Collaboration, as well as behind-the-scenes talent with Best Producer, Best Selector, and Best Performer, Best Male Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Female Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Songwriter, Best New Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), and Best International Artiste, among others.
