Ghanaian radio personality and music critic DJ Slim has sparked a bold conversation about Ghana’s relationship with the Grammy Awards, saying that the global music prize should not be seen as the ultimate measure of success for Ghanaian artistes.
Speaking in an interview with Jason EL-A on 3Music TV on Monday November 10, DJ Slim admitted that while the Grammy brand is “huge” and has “massive global reach,” it is not the pinnacle of musical achievement — especially for African or Ghanaian acts.
“To me, it is not the apex. It’s just that it has reach. The Grammy is a music award designed for the US market, by people in the US market,” he stated.
Using a football analogy, he compared the Grammy to the FIFA Club World Cup, noting that just as Ghanaian clubs do not participate in that competition, it makes little sense for Ghanaian artistes to fixate on an award system tailored for another market.
According to DJ Slim, the lack of Ghanaian nominees at the 2025 Grammy Awards is not a reflection of poor artistry or talent, but rather a sign that “our system is not plugged into the US system.”
“It only tells us that our artistes and their sound are not visible in their market. It doesn’t mean they’re not talented,” he said, referencing songs like ‘Street Grammar’ by Shaka Wallace and ‘Shake It’ by Moliy, which he praised as “dope” yet overlooked because of limited visibility.
DJ Slim urged the Ghanaian music industry to prioritise local award systems that understand and celebrate the Ghanaian sound and culture.
“Our awards should stamp our sound and our identity. You don’t need to hustle for validation elsewhere,” he emphasised.
He also revealed that despite Moliy’s remarkable performance within the year, her song did not appear on the Billboard-listed Grammy ballots for Best Global Music Performance or Best African Music Performance — a discovery that, he said, further proves how disconnected Ghana’s creative ecosystem is from the structures that feed into Grammy nominations.
DJ Slim’s remarks have since stirred strong reactions online, with many agreeing that it’s time Ghana redefines its musical priorities and builds stronger platforms that recognize homegrown excellence.
