Veteran musician and Presidential Staffer for the Black Star Experience, Rex Omar, has encouraged Ghanaian artists to value local award schemes more than international ones like the Grammys.
In an interview with GhanaWeb on April 19, he stressed that the Grammy Awards were created for American artists. According to him, Ghanaian musicians should not seek validation from platforms that were never designed for them.
“Grammy is for America. So when Ghanaians disrespect the Ghana Music Awards and aim for the Grammys instead, I don’t understand. It wasn’t made for us,” he said.
Rex Omar added that BET also started as a U.S.-based television network before expanding into awards. He used it as an example to show that other nations create platforms to celebrate their own.
He urged the industry to come together to build a strong and credible award scheme in Ghana. He believes that, if well-executed, it could attract international participation.
“We can develop our prestigious award. If we promote it well and stay consistent, other countries will want to join,” he said.
For him, the goal goes beyond winning trophies. It’s about creating a solid system that supports musicians, promotes talent, and boosts the entire industry.
“It’s a full value chain. We need to build an ecosystem that supports the business of music and makes a real impact,” he concluded.
