Don’t blame us for your failed awards – Reggae/ Dancehall acts to Bass Awards organisers

Last week, radio presenter, King Lagazee, accused the Reggae/Dancehall musicians of virtually killing the Bass Awards with their non-cooperation and accusations.

However, the artistes say lack of transparency on the part of the organisers, among other factors, is rather what collapsed the scheme.
 
Danchall artiste, Epixode told Graphic Showbiz that the organisers should bow their heads in shame for failing to organise the awards.

“No musician will deliberately run down an awards scheme that wants to honour us. First of all, the organisers never introduced the board members to us so we never knew who was judging our works.

“Secondly, the few people we knew on the board were artiste managers and were giving awards to their own artistes making it not credible. Everyone knows I am one of the best performers in Ghana and I submit my works all the time but I never win anything,” he said.

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According to Epixode, the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) had had its own issues, especially with artistes disagreeing with some of the winners and categories where they were nominated but the scheme still survives.

“If the organisers want to blame the failure of the awards on other things, that is fine but I would not allow them to push the blame on the musicians. One board member I knew told me I will never win an award from Bass Awards. How do you expect me to take this scheme seriously?” he queried.

Article Wan, who received several nominations at various editions of the Bass Awards, said no musician could kill any award scheme if board members were doing everything right.

“I am sure the VGMA will have been dead by now with all the accusations and insults that has come from some of the artistes. Even with Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy not being part of the scheme, it still goes on. The organisers should be up and doing and stop the childish talk,” he said.

Article Wan said it was not the duty of Reggae/Dancehall musicians to submit their works but organisers had to do their research and look for popular songs in the year under review, adding that if the organisers wanted to be taken seriously, then they had to sit up and do the right thing.

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The Winner of New Artiste of the Year at the 2015 Bass Awards, Rudebwoy Ranking, sided with his colleagues and said the awards have to be properly organised.

“A lot has gone on since Bass Awards commenced and it will take both the musicians and the organisers to make it work. We can resolve all our differences and move on. Bass Awards is the only awards scheme that recognises Reggae/ Dancehall musicians so we have to make it work,” he said.

When Graphic Showbiz contacted Kendrick Yehowada, a board member of Bass Awards and the CEO of Bullhaus Entertainment, organisers of the awards, said both the board members and the musicians were to blame.

“First of all, there was confusion among Reggae/Dancehall musicians when they don’t win particular awards. Ras Kuuku and the other artistes will quickly go on Facebook Live to do videos insulting the organisers for giving the awards to our favourites.

“Since we started the awards, so many Reggae/Dancehall musicians have been on social media insulting the organisers and making us look bad,” he said.

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He admitted the scheme also suffered from lack of sponsorship which made it difficult for it to survive and said: “Ticket sales were always a problem. We always made losses and had to give most of the tickets out for free.

“Corporate bodies see Reggae/Dancehall musicians in a certain way so getting sponsorship was a bit of a problem for us,” he said.

However, Kendrick Yehowada said the Bass Awards was returning next year.