Grammys Are Not For Us Nigerians – Ayo Animashaun

Grammys Are Not For Us Nigerians – Ayo Animashaun

Media mogul and CEO of Headies Awards Ayo Animashuan says that in truth Nigerians don’t really need the Grammy Awards because it wasn’t made for us.

Mr Animashuan made the remark in a new interview with the Tribune NG. He said the markers and organizers of the Grammy Awards really don’t care about artists from this part of the world (Africa).

The HipTV boss said this when he was asked what limits Nigerian music from winning the Grammy Awards.

“I really don’t understand why Nigerians want to win the Grammys. Grammys are not for us, but for Americans. We should get that right. They put everybody in one world music category. We are not their focus. The Americans are their focus. It is not for us. Yes, we can win awards, but they do not show us the way they run the award category during the show. I think we should make our own awards, our own Grammy and I would say it any day that the Grammy is not for us. They have built something big for themselves. Let them come and win the Headies. How about that? Even if it is not the Headies, let them come and win AFRIMMA in Africa. Let them come and win awards in Nigeria or Africa.

We don’t celebrate our own things. It’s just a shame. I have been to the Grammys many times and I don’t see many African artistes. They don’t particularly care because they recognise, mainly, their industry. They don’t know you exist. You go there taking pictures with them and when you are taking pictures with them, the guy is already looking somewhere else. See all the artistes that paid for international collaboration. What happened? They collect your money and they don’t want to come back. They don’t want to collaborate with you. And you know what? You will make so much money here if you really work hard and you will be known in the whole of Africa. Build your own. It’s just so wrong that I am the one saying this because cynics would say that ‘he is saying it because he wants people to be associated with his award’. Let it be other awards.

If I tell a sponsor now that we should take five artistes to the Grammy awards, they would be ready to do that but when it comes to Headies, we will be begging for sponsorship. The Headies plaque can stand head to head with any plaque in the world because a lot of money is being spent to make it pure gold. We put everything in it. Grammy is not our thing. Let’s do our thing. Let’s make it big and fantastatic. Why do you want to win Grammy. There is no World Cup for music.”