Genge Music and Bongo Flava have been added to the new Grammy category, ‘Best African Music Performance’ for the 2024 Grammy Awards, and will be the 66th award ceremony. So many artists who are likely to grace the world’s top awarding ceremony are now roaming your mind, is it? Music is life. Art is life.
The Recording Academy announced in May 2023, that it would be adding three new categories to the Grammy Awards in 2024, including Best African Music Performance. This is a great and significant move for the Grammys, as it recognizes the growing popularity of African music around the world.
Genge music is a Kenyan genre that originated in the early 2000s. It is characterized by its fast tempo, catchy melodies, and often provocative lyrics. Some of the pioneering artists include Mejja and Juakali.
Also read: Vdj_Jones speaks on the silence of Gengetone
Bongo Flava is a genre of popular music that originated in Tanzania in the early 1990s. It is a fusion of hip-hop, R&B, taarab, and traditional Tanzanian music styles. Bongo Flava is characterized by its catchy melodies, upbeat tempo, and often socially conscious lyrics. Some of the most popular artists include Alikiba and Diamond.
The addition of Best African Music Performance to the Grammy Awards is a major step forward for the genre. It will help to raise the profile of Genge music, Bongo Flava, and other African genres around the world, and it will also provide a platform for African artists to showcase their talents.
The two addition is a plus for both African artist and especially Kenya and Tanzania Artist. The two nations being Swahili ambassadors through music will also help spread the language.
Some of the other two categories include Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording.
Who would you vote for in each of the two categories?
