Comments From Africans About The Grammy Awards Being Considered The Highest Honor For African Music Recording Artists, Part I: Asake - "Amapiano"

ASAKE, May 23, 2023
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Statistics for this official YouTube video as of June 19, 2023 as of 5:19 PM EDT
total # of views - 8,021,809
total # of comments - 4,861

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - June 19, 2023 4:56 PM EDT 

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about Africans and the United States' Grammy award. 

The comments in this pancocojams post are from the discussion thread for Nigerian performing artists Asake's and Olamide's official May 2023 YouTube video entitled "Amapiano". That song is a fusion of Nigerian Afrobeats, South African Amapiano, African American Rap, and Nigerian Fuji by those two Nigerian recording artists. However, all of the comments about the Grammys in that particular YouTube discussion thread focus on Asake Many of those commenters predict that Asake will win a Grammy for that song. Some other commenters reject and/or ridicule that possibility for that particular song. 

Some other commenters in that discussion thread share their opinion about the kinds of music that the Grammys honor and write that Asake music doesn't fit that criteria. Other commenters question or criticize Africans who believe that winning a Grammys is the highest honor for any African recording artist. 

Several other commenters wrote that winning the Grammys is mentioned in (YouTube) discussion threads for other trending African contemporary recording artists. 

In addition, several comments in this compilation refer to the Headies, a Nigerian music award or the BET awards, an African American award that includes music categories,or the People's Choice award, another United States award recognizing people in entertainment. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/06/comments-from-africans-about-grammy_20.html for Part II of this series. That post features comments from the discussion thread for Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr's Feb. 2023 official YouTube video "Stability". Those comments are similar to those that are showcased in Part I of this pancocojams series.Some commenters write that they are certain that Ayra Starr will win a Grammy while others reject or ridicule that possibility. In addition, (as is the case in the discussion thread that is sampled in Part I of this pancocojams series), some commenters criticize the idea that Africans should want African singers/musicians to win Grammys. At least two commenters in that discussion example described that the Grammys are "a white man's award".  

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The content of this pancocojams post is presented for socio-cultural purposes, including Nigerian and other African cultures, examples of Nigerian Pidgin English, Nigerians and other Africans' opinions about those recording artists, as well as opinions and attitudes about the Grammys and about other music awards. 

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Asake and Olamide and all those who are associated with that song and that video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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An online list of Africans who have won Grammys (as of 2023) is included in the comment section for this pancocojams post.

How some Africans feel about the Grammys is particularly interesting in light of the decision by the Grammys to add a category for African music starting in 2024 instead of having that music compete in the "world music" category.
  
Click https://www.africanews.com/2023/06/14/grammy-awards-africa-finally-gets-its-own-category/#:~:text=USA,a%20consecration%20for%20the%20genre.for the June 2023 article entitled "Grammy Awards: Africa finally gets its own category" by Rédaction Africanews with AFP.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_-v1fNdSHs

These comments are only a sample of the comments on this subject in that discussion thread. All of these comments are from 2023. These comments are presented in relative chronological order with the oldest comments given first except for replies.

Numbers are given for referencing purposes only. Brief  explanations about some of the terms that are found in these comments are given below a few of these comments.

1. Scenas_ Blog
"Asake will win Grammy awards one day if you believe gather here to appreciate his Talent ❤"

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2. MakeOutHill
"Dey play"
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The Nigerian slang saying "Dey Play" means something like "You got to be joking" ("You're playing about what you said"; You can't  be serious". A number of commenters wrote that saying in this sub-thread. Click https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cxwk8ldp7mno Popular slangs wey trend for 2022 "For 2022, na music and internet viral videos influence wetin Nigerians bin dey tok pass", 26 December 2022 for a Nigerian Pidgin English definition for "Dey Play". 

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3. Sheyi Bryta
"Lol. Grammy is overrated"

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4. Golden Coast
"Grammy is the new gold."

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5. Esther Vanda
"No be with this kind music lol"

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6. dauda femi daniel
"@Sheyi Bryta  💯 and very bias"

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7. John Tracht
"Him boss self never been nominated no be this Typ dem dey find for Grammy"
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This comment refers to Olamide who discovered Asake and signed him to his record label. 

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8. Arata Ayumu
"@MakeOutHill  😂, he’s good but he doesn’t sing Grammy songs , If you are talking about grammy, then talk about Rema, bnxn, blaqbonez, fireboy"

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9. Iam Sacrozant
"Lol davido we first win the Grammy award before asake David adeleke to the world 001"

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10. John Tracht
"@Iam Sacrozant  I dey tell you I be 30bg normal but Grammy still never sure for him talkless of Asake"

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11. Sugar Boy
"Him will win Yoruba Grammy awards. Bcuz is only Yoruba dat understand his music 🎵"

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12. vovi agnes
"Not one day next year ishala"

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13. Deepcy
"You’re mad"

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14. Sutaye E.j
"@Sugar Boy  🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I swear down"

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15. Urom Victor
"We dont need grammy.

 

We are bigger than that."

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16. flowkidd
"Everything is not Abt Grammy it's an ordinary award"

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17. Hijackstudios
"@MakeOutHill  he will and you will cry."

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18. MakeOutHill
"@Hijackstudios  lmao let’s be blunt here. What category do you think he’ll get nominated in? Hell no bro there’s no way . He could get recognized internationally but he winning a Grammy? Lmao y’all should wake up na"

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19. Hijackstudios
"@MakeOutHill  the same way you didn't believe in yourself, that left you stranded now, now putting the same negative energy on others. Continue. Hope you have data, he will win grammy one day and you will watch it with heart break."

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20.  MakeOutHill
"@Hijackstudios  😂😂😂dude"

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21. Uyi Aisosa
"@MakeOutHill  werey 😅😅😅"
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Here's a definition for the word "werey" from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/naija-fashion/500516-werey-dey-disguise-cut-soap-for-me-other-nigerian-pop-culture-slang-that-trended-in-2021.html?tztc=1
" ’Werey dey disguise’, ‘Cut Soap For Me’, other Nigerian Pop Culture slang that trended in 2021 by ByOnu Stephen  December 12, 2021
…. “Werey Dey Disguise 

This is another Yoruba pidgin street slang, ‘Werey’ in Yoruba means acting irrationally or crazy. In totality “werey dey disguise” means, the act of camouflaging or appearing or speaking out in contrast to what you really mean people can see right through their being fake.

“Werey dey disguise” is usually accompanied by several mimes, it is used when someone is acting up but you see through them.”…

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22. Tilly
"You people are still on about this Grammy thing? Seeking validation from the western world 🙄"

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23. Hundredz Investment Limited
"U think say na one one word lyrics them Dey take win Grammy?? With this one pattern 😂😂"
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I believe the standard American English transcription of that Nigerian Pidgin sentence is "You think that he'll win the Grammy with his one word lyrics?

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24. NARCO 1804
"He don’t need that sh-t!* That for them folks. He will be a winner as long we support him❤"
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*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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25. Adetipe Abiodun
"@MakeOutHill  you will hear ad see it don't worry he will win one day"

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24. MakeOutHill
"@Adetipe Abiodun  just Dey play"

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25. Faidat
"We don't care. He has already made history!!!🎉🎉 Grammy is overrated"

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26. Mr Priceless
"Real talk"

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27. Linda Waters
"I believe too"

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28. Sammy Hero
"How come I don’t believe"

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29. Rhod
"With which song exactly??"

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30. danie 🦋
"Are you the one who said this on Rema too? cause y'all have the same pfp and errthing

😂"

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31.  David O. Daukoru
"Your head empty"

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32. Abdulwasiu Toyin
"How he wan win it person wey dey sing traditional song"

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33. Joseph Philemon
"Him go win Grammy for sure him video them bad"

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34. McValiant23
"Àṣàkẹ́ occupies, satisfies and caters for a niche genre of Afrobeats, not necessarily Grammy-level...but who cares!? We still love his vibes, Grammy or not! ❤🤗👌"

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35. EnRobotics
"How he wan take win am with this song?????!"

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36. iayyam
"Guaranteed"

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37. Fabulous Empire
"Inshallah u will on god"

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38. SAMNESS
"Dey play 😂"

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37. SAMNESS
"Na headdies be his calling"
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"Na" is a Yoruba word that means "is".

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38. Blackrock trading academy.
"Grammy award na luck oo"

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39. KAMWEFU
"His winning one this year"

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40. sammysamuel
"For your mind"
The standard African American way of saying this sarcastic saying is "In your mind".

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41. Kamogelo Meso
"If he keeps at the rate he is at, it's a given.

He's an amazing act, a breath of fresh air in the Afrobeats movement. ❤"

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42. Ebbah Precious
"4 sure"

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43. Dera Silver
"For your dream 😂😂😂"
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The standard African American way of saying this sarcastic saying is "In your dreams".

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44. Prince Chifundire
"Nope"

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45. AIG
"Stop looking outward for validation. If he wins, good, but we don't need grammy to be our standard  please."

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46. unkieYard
"@MakeOutHill keep dreaming"

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47. almuktar sani
" @MakeOutHill 😂😂"

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48. Bryan Ag
"Lol 😂

Dreams"

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49. owolabi amos
"He can’t, he can win headies though"

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50.  Kehinde Akomolafe
"Dey play na bread"

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51.Abdul raheem olamide
"Depending on the foreign artist  features or was features by"

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52. TNaijaBoxing
"African artist don't need Grammys. We don't need any affirmation from America"

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53. onyejekwe oluchukwu
"He will surely win. I believe in him 😊"

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54. Muritala Abiola
"He will definitely get nominated this year if not wining sef"

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55. ephraim sakachi
"Nah bro. My gee don't need that satanic award he good 💪💪🔥"

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56. Classic Gee
"Ode .. u think  Grammy awards is fufu that any artist in Nigeria can win Abi when there's davido and WizKid and Burna boy even rema can win this Grammy awards than to talk of him 😅"
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I think that "fufu" in this sentence means that something that is basic (ordinary). Fufu is a vegetable dish that is a stable in West Africa.

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57. Daniel Ubokudom
"Not with this please"

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58. Rotimi Adido
"Probably but not with this kind of music"

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59. Popcorn 🍿 comedy
"Bro you write this comment on every trending song"

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60. Kelex Official
"You just posting that everyone will win award"

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61. Victor ola
"I've seen this comment on like 2 other naija artist song"

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62. Ebinezer Sillá
"😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊"

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63. Chidi
"Seriously sha"

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64. Taiwo Oluwatobi
"If I have personal Grammy award I will deliberately give it to Awake has the best amapiano afrobeat worldwide number one..as for me😊"

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65. Uriel Yo
"You dey talk nonsense Sha intop amapino where rema dey Rema way go Indian tour 🤣🤣🤣🤣 go rest"

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66. Bernard Wongibe
"Understatement. Create a different award for him."

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67. Dankan Kandash
"Kkk😮😮😮"
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“Kkk”= laughter (another way of writing "ha ha ha"

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68. Kaycee Collins
"We neva see rema na asake 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄💀💀💀💀👎👎👎👎or ayra starr,fireboy, buju,kizz daniel ,johhhy drile mtchew e wan like 🙄😂😂😂"

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69. Strive For Excellence
" @Sugar Boy what kinda nonsense is this. I’m Igbo and understand his music fully lol tf"

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70. 21.1K Views  COLOZ NICK
" @Sugar Boy   am a kenyan And I love his music very much"

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71. Augustine Ikechukwu
"No be only Grammy mugu"
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Here's a definition for Nigerian slang word "mugu" from https://theculturetrip.com/africa/nigeria/articles/11-untranslatable-nigerian-slang-words-we-need-in-english/  "11 Untranslatable Nigerian Slang Words We Need in English"  by Lize Okon, 28 November 2022
"Maga/Mugu

This is a term used to describe someone regarded as a fool or someone who is very gullible or being conned. For example, ‘you be maga’ means ‘you’re a fool’. But in this context – ‘my maga promise me hundred thousand Naira’, it shows that the person who’s being referred to as the maga is being conned."

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72. Dope Kholoski
"Wtf thought he got grammyd already

Give him 2grammys 2asake❤"

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73. Ayomide Kayorde
"Indeed Asake will surely have the Grammy Award with the way is getting over is mate Artist"

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74. Femi's Creativity
"ASAKE will definitely win GRAMMY"

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75. Ibrahim Kargbo
"Asake really you deserve to Grammy ❤❤❤❤❤❤ this song"

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76. Dannie Nellie
"TBH this guy must win either a Grammy or BET"

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77. Evangelist christopher ayella
"Asake is my one and only artist in 9j, Grammy Award winner next after Danini, wait and see"

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78. DarK TaleS
"What's with Grammy thing that people keep mentioning,we are bigger than that"

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79. Marissa Hearne
"EXACTLY... Grammy is NOT the standard!"

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80. Mallor Vee
"On behalf of my Grammy winners ,is time for this master piece to take over ❤"

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81. Deborah Fadoju
"Asake will win Grammy😍🥰😍😍🥰"

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82. Brandy Crystal
"Yes he used AUTHENTIC VIEWS to get the boost initially but now he is super talented that he will win Grammy one day !!!
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This is how this comment  written in that discussion thread.

A few other commenters mentioned AUTHENTIC VIEWS. Based on those comments, my guess is that those are views are those that the record labels paid people to make. 

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83. ntibuteba bolly
"This's year Grammy it's yours"

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84. charles kawuma
"He keep messing around will end up with a Grammy for sure"

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85. Kayode Seyi
"Asake is really talented... 2024 Grammy awards owes you one..."

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86. Y. A.
"Another good one from Asake ..... 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾. This guy deserves  the people's choice award any and every time it is given ✌🏾✌🏾✌🏾✌🏾. He has no bad song or coloration. They are all 🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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87. Jakub J
"And this year's psychiatric ward Grammy goes to Asake. I miss back in the days when you got somewhat smarter out of music."

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