Castro's ghost stirs debate over VGMA nominations

Another season of Vodafone Ghana Music Awards
is here and no sooner had last Friday’s launch of
the awards and the release of the nominees list
ended than the controversies began.
“Why is Castro not a nominee for the ultimate
VGMA Artiste of the Year award?” the question
began with a buzz among some invited guests,
musicians and media present.
Castro’s popularity, especially with his 2014 release
Seihor and other collaborations with colleague
artistes such as D Black, Sarkodie and Akoo Nana
were cited as justification for him to be up there on
the Artiste of the Year list together with Daddy
Lumba, Stonebwoy, Guru, Edem, Mz Vee, Sarkodie
and Samini.
Above all considerations, however, was the
sympathy that many music enthusiasts have for
Castro following his mysterious disappearance
during a jet ski ride at Ada in July last year.
When such controversies have arisen in the past,
the organisers, Charterhouse, attempt with a
measure of success, to explain away their
decisions. This time, however, it appears they will
have a lot of convincing to do.
The official category definition for Artiste of the
Year clearly states that he or she “is the artiste
adjudged by the Academy, Board and general public
as the artiste with the highest audience appeal and
popularity.
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The artiste must have released a single or an album
during the year under review”.
The people who are doing the questioning say that
the artiste satisfies all the requirements of the
definition so “Why has Castro been left out?”
They insist that Castro, released a hit before his
disappearance, he had a very high audience appeal
and his popularity has virtually gone through the
rood especially since his absence.
Overall, Sarkodie received the highest number of 11
nominations on the VGMA list, followed by Edem
with 10, and Stonebwoy, Guru and MxVee receiving
six nominations each.
The poorest category surprisingly is the Highlife
Artiste of the Year which has only three nominees, -
Bisa Kdei, Daddy Lumba and Afriyie.
The richest category is the Song of the Year which
has as many as 10 nominees.
The latest addition to the categories is the Reggae/
Dancehall Artiste of the Year which boasts of a
strong field comprising Stonebwoy, Ras Kuuku,
MzVee, Samini, Kaakie and Episode.