Ghana DJ Awards
{{Short description|Awards event in Ghana}}
{{Infobox award
| current_awards =
| name = Ghana DJ Awards
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| description = Outstanding achievements in the music industry of Ghana
| presenter = Merqury Republic
| country = Ghana
| network = Multi TV{{Cite web|url=https://dailyguidenetwork.com/ghana-dj-awards-2018-nominees-unveiled/|title=Ghana DJ Awards 2018 Nominees Unveiled|website=dailyguidenetwork.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}
| year = {{start date and age|2012|2|15}}
|website = {{URL|http://www.ghanadjawards.org}}
}}
The Ghana DJ Awards are an annual ceremony to recognize and honor disc jockeys and other individuals who have influenced electronic dance music in Ghana. Its purpose is to foster the development of the Ghana music industry by rewarding and celebrating radio, mobile and club DJs who have excelled in their profession. The annual event highlights contributions Ghana DJs have made to the music distribution and promotion industry by playing, endorsing and publishing songs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/17009/ghana-dj-awards-constituted-djs-to-be-rewarded.html|title=Ghana DJ Awards Constituted …DJ's to be rewarded annually|website=modernghana.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/entertainment/showbiz-news/ghana-dj-awards-kicks-off.html |title=Ghana DJ Awards kicks off |website=graphic.com.gh |access-date=25 July 2021}}
History
The awards were founded in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/35108/ghana-dj-awards-has-come-to-stay.html|title=“Ghana DJ Awards Has Come To Stay”|website=modernghana.com|access-date=24 July 2021}} Conceived by Merqury Quaye, the first Ghana DJ Awards ceremony was held at the National Theatre on 15 February 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://jonilar.net/2018/04/23/ghana-dj-awards-to-honour-mark-okraku-mantey/|title=Ghana DJ Awards to honour Mark Okraku Mantey|website=jonilar.net|access-date=24 July 2021}} Notable disc jockeys who have performed at the awards ceremony include DJ Que, DJ Vyrusky, DJ Kofi, DJ Black and DJ Jimmy Jatt.{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/57637/ghana-dj-awards-open-nominations-for-2019-edition.html|title=Ghana DJ Awards Open Nominations For 2019 Edition|website=modernghana.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}
Awards
As of 2015, awards were presented in thirty-four categories.{{Cite web|url= https://www.pulse.com.gh/entertainment/music/gdj-15-ghana-dj-awards-2015-categories-announced/6dc5z32 |title= Ghana DJ Awards 2015 Categories Announced |website=pulse.com.gh |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://plugtimes.com/2019/11/ghana-dj-awards-2019-winners/|title=Ghana DJ Awards 2019 Winners – See Full List|website=plugtimes.com|access-date=24 July 2021|archive-date=24 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724185918/https://plugtimes.com/2019/11/ghana-dj-awards-2019-winners/|url-status=dead}}
In September 2020, the organizers introduced a new category, "Lockdown DJ of the Year", to award DJs who entertained music fans during the COVID-19 lockdown period.{{Cite web|url=https://www.peacefmonline.com/pages/showbiz/radiotv/202009/427216.php|title=Ghana DJ Awards Introduces New Category To Honour Lockdown DJs|website=peacefmonline.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}
Categories
The top awards are presented in eight categories which include, Best DJ of the Year, Best International Non-Ghanaian DJ, Best International Ghanaian DJ, Discovery of the year, Best Event DJ of the Year, Artiste DJ of the Year, Best Mobile DJ of the Year and Best Mixtape DJ of the Year. Other categories include, DJ/Artist Collaboration of the Year, DJ's Song of The Year, Scratch DJ of The Year, Best Video Jockey of The Year, Best Club MC of The Year, Best Night Club DJ of The Year, Best Female Radio DJ of The Year, Best Male Radio DJ of The Year and Best Female DJ of The Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/call-entries-ghana-dj-awards-2019|title=Call for entries: Ghana DJ Awards 2019|work= musicinafrica.net|access-date=24 July 2021}}
During the 2018, Mark Okraku-Mantey was awarded Ghana DJ Awards Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Ghana DJ Awards for his service and contribution to the DJ profession in Ghana.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-23 |title=Ghana DJ Awards to honor Mark Okraku Mantey with Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://museafrica.com/2018/04/23/ghana-dj-awards-to-honor-mark-okraku-mantey-with-life-time-achievement-award/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Muse Africa |language=}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2018-05-17 |title=Ghana DJ Awards: Mark Okraku Mantey presented with Lifetime Achievement Award citation |url=https://kasapafmonline.com/2018/05/ghana-dj-awards-mark-okraku-mantey-presented-with-lifetime-achievement-award-citation/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Kasapa102.5FM |language=en-US}}
Eligibility and entry
A jury of industry professionals is responsible for all award nominations. Once a work is nominated, an advisory board holds reviewing sessions to determine whether the work is entered in the correct category.{{Cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/17704/call-for-nominations-ghana-dj-awards-2012.html|title=CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – GHANA DJ AWARDS 2012|access-date=24 July 2021|website=modernghana.com}}
In September 2020, Ghana DJ Awards unveiled its newly appointed 12-member board of directors. The new board announced that DJs below 18 years of age would no longer be nominated in the Overall Best DJ of the Year category. Instead, they will compete for the Young DJ of the Year award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/ghana-dj-awards-host-workshop-november|title=Ghana DJ Awards to host workshop in November|access-date=24 July 2021|website=musicinafrica.net}} 13-year-old DJ Switch, who won Best DJ of the Year in 2019, was the first recipient of the newly created award.{{Cite web|url= https://www.ghanamusic.com/news/top-stories/2019/11/04/dj-switch-releases-success-after-setting-records-at-the-2019-ghana-dj-awards/ |title=DJ Switch releases ‘Success’ after setting records at the 2019 Ghana DJ Awards |access-date=3 August 2021|website=ghanamusic.com}}
Changes
=Venue=
In October 2019, organizers of the event announced a new venue for the event. the event from the originally announced venue the National Theatre to the Accra International Conference Centre.{{cite web|url=https://zylofonmediaonline.com/ghana-dj-awards-announces-new-venue/|title=Ghana DJ Awards Announces New Venue|website=zylofonmediaonline.com|access-date=24 July 2021|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121010353/https://zylofonmediaonline.com/ghana-dj-awards-announces-new-venue/|url-status=dead}}
Winners
= 2024 Winners list =
This years' event marked the 12th Edition of the annual Guinness Ghana DJ Awards which was held at the Palms Convention Centre in Accra on Saturday, November 9, 2024. DJ Lord OTB was awarded the DJ of the Year beating off competition from DJ Loft, DJ Vyrusky, TMSK DJ, AD DJ and DJ Millzy.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-11 |title=Guinness Ghana DJ Awards 2024: Full list of winners - MyJoyOnline |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/guinness-ghana-dj-awards-2024-full-list-of-winners/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable"
|+List of Winners !Category !Winners ! rowspan="4" | |
| DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR
|DJ Vasty |
| MC/HYPEMAN OF THE YEAR
|Kojo Manuel |
| EVENT DJ OF THE YEAR
|DJ Pho |
| ARTISTE DJ OF THE YEAR
|DJ Lord OTB – King Promise ! |
| SCRATCH DJ OF THE YEAR
|DJ Mpesempese ! |
| MOBILE DJ OF THE YEAR
|DJ Amachi ! |
| MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
|Cups & Bass Mixtape – DJ Loft & Kojo Manuel ! |
| VIDEO JOCKEY OF THE YEAR
|DJ Aberga ! |
Controversies
In February 2012, there was growing controversy about the Ghana DJ Awards, a few weeks after the event was announced. The awards festival sparked speculations of rivalry and arguments between some known DJs in Accra.{{cite web|url=https://www.ghanamma.com/2012/02/15/controversy-hits-dj-awards/|title=Controversy Hits DJ Awards|website=ghanamma.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}
In May 2012, Ghanaian DJs residing abroad have lamented about the unfairness on the part of organizers for allocating only one category for Ghanaian international DJs in the first ever honorary program for Ghanaian DJs. Organizers of the Awards later expressed their appreciation of the genuine concerns raised by the international DJs and explained that the suggestions and concerns would be reviewed and addressed accordingly in subsequent editions.{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-dj-awards-ghanaian-international-djs-feel-sidelined|title=Ghana DJ Awards: Ghanaian International DJs Feel sidelined |website=ghanasoccernet.com|access-date=24 July 2021}}
In October 2019, DJ Asumadu expressed his huge disappointment at the 2019 Ghana DJ Awards, after he felt snubbed by the organizers of the awards despite playing many shows in the clubs and events.{{cite web|url= https://newsghana.com.gh/ghana-dj-awards-disappointing-dj-asumadu/ |title=Ghana DJ Awards Disappointing – DJ Asumadu |website=newsghana.com.gh |access-date=25 July 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.ghanadjawards.org}}
Category:Awards established in 2012