The second edition of the Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards (GRDA) is officially set for Sunday, December 15, 2024.
This announcement was made during a stakeholder engagement session in Accra, where key figures from the industry, including musicians, DJs, and media professionals, convened to discuss the future of Reggae and Dancehall in Ghana.
This year’s GRDA will recognize the efforts of diverse contributors to the genre, including musicians, producers, DJs, MCs, selectors, live bands, and performance artists, all of whom have contributed to the promotion of Reggae and Dancehall in Ghana.
Awards will be presented across various categories, such as Best Reggae Song, Best Dancehall Song, Best Reggae Album/EP, and Best Dancehall Album/EP, as well as Best Reggae Video and Best Dancehall Video.
Additional categories include Best Collaboration (Reggae/Dancehall), Best International Collaboration, Best Producer, Best Selector, Best Performer, Best Male Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Female Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), Best Songwriter, Best New Artiste (Reggae/Dancehall), and Best International Artiste.
Special awards like Most Promising Artiste, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Best Sound System Ghana will also be presented.
At the session, GRDA Board Member Daddy Bosco emphasized the significance of honoring and celebrating Reggae and Dancehall, genres that have played a vital role in Ghana’s music landscape yet often receive limited recognition.
“The Ghana Reggae Dancehall Awards aims to fill a major gap in Ghana’s music industry. An awards festival solely dedicated to Reggae and Dancehall in Ghana has been long overdue,” he said.
He noted that Ghana plays a pivotal role within Africa’s Reggae Dancehall community, having made notable contributions to its growth.
While Highlife remains a prominent genre, Reggae and Dancehall have also become influential throughout Ghana and Africa, even impacting gospel music. Despite their presence, the genre hasn’t always received the recognition it deserves.
“However, the genre has proven its strength, with international concerts selling out, featuring top Jamaican Reggae Dancehall artists alongside Ghanaian acts. We need to do better as a country,” he added.
A unique aspect of GRDA is its voting system. Unlike other award schemes that primarily depend on public votes, GRDA winners are selected exclusively by the academy and board members. Daddy Bosco explained that this approach is meant to ensure fairness and transparency by preventing vote manipulation.
Nominations for the 2024 GRDA began on October 10 and will close on November 10. A Nominees Jam is scheduled for December 13.