Sarkodie
Ghanaian rap artiste Sarkodie, born Michael Owusu Addo, has missed out on the coveted Artiste of the Year (AOTY) nomination for the first time in over a decade.
As Charterhouse, the organisers of the awards, announced the nominees, Sarkodie received nominations in several categories, including Best Hip Life/Hip Pop Artiste, Rap Performance for his song ‘Brag’, Hip Hop Song for ‘Amen’ featuring Beeztrap Kotm, and Best Hip Pop Song for ‘No Size’.
King Promise’s popular track ‘Favourite Story’, which features Sarkodie and Olive the Boy, garnered two nominations – Best Afrobeat Song and Collaboration of the Year.
Many of Sarkodie’s fans have expressed their disappointment, suggesting that his omission from the AOTY category is a deliberate attempt to undermine the rapper’s contributions during the 2024/2025 review period. They highlighted that Sarkodie’s songs ‘Otan’ and ‘Confam’ were among the biggest hits of the year, and he collaborated with top international artistes like KJ Spio and Oxlade, while also hosting the Rapperholic Concert.
In contrast, artistes such as Stonebwoy, King Promise, Black Sherif, Joe Mettle, Kweku Smoke, King Paluta, and Team Eternity will be competing for the AOTY award.
During the nominee unveiling, Robert Klah, Head of Public Events and Communication for Charterhouse Productions Limited, stated that the 2025 edition promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with fans and industry stakeholders eagerly anticipating the main event. He emphasised that the prestigious awards scheme aims to honour the country’s most outstanding musical talents.
The main awards ceremony is scheduled for May 3, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre, preceded by a pre-party on May 2 for industry networking and discussions.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke