• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• April 4, 2025
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

Charterhouse opens up on why King Paluta’s ‘Makoma’ wasn’t nominated

The Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) Board has addressed the controversy surrounding King Paluta’s song “Makoma” not receiving a nomination this year.

In a statement released by Charterhouse’s Head of Communications and Public Events, Robert Klah, the Board denied allegations that the song’s alleged profanity was the reason for its exclusion, suggesting a different explanation.

According to the organisers, “each artiste can have only one song per category, except for Best Collaboration, Best International Collaboration and Best Music Video.”

The statement also asserts that, “this rule prevents vote-splitting and ensures that artists have the most substantial chance of winning.”

“Using King Paluta’s ‘Aseda’ and ‘Makoma’ as an example, we applied this rule to select the most popular song. Based on our research, including streaming numbers and airplay from 175 radio stations, “Aseda” was adjudged the more popular choice in both Highlife and Most Popular Song of the Year categories,” portion of the statement read.

The Board also clarified its current rule, which allows only one nomination per artist per category, although this rule has been relaxed in some previous years.

This policy is not new, as a similar rule was introduced in 2016. At that time, Bisa Kdei had two hit songs, “Mansa” and “Brother Brother,” but only “Mansa” was nominated.

Contrary to speculation that “Brother Brother” was excluded due to explicit content, it was actually Bisa Kdei who chose to submit “Mansa” after being informed that only one song per artist could be nominated per category.

The Board had previously deviated from this rule in subsequent years, but it appears to have reinstated the one-artist-one-song policy this year with the exclusion of King Paluta’s Makoma.

• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• March 13, 2025
• 0 Comments
• 2 minutes Read

Duane Stephenson, Kenyatta Hills thrills audience at 2025 Kuchoko Roots Festival

The 2025 edition of the Kuchoko Roots Festival, held at La Pleasure Beach on Saturday, March 8, was a night filled with electrifying performances and thrilling reggae music. Attendees were treated to an unforgettable experience, with both local and international acts taking the stage, including reggae legends Duane Stephenson and Kenyatta Hills, the son of the iconic Jamaican band, Culture.

Duane Stephenson, famed for his timeless tracks like “August Town,” “Cottage in Negril,” and “Ghetto Pain,” delivered an outstanding performance that had the crowd singing along to every note. The highlight of the night came when he performed “August Town,” with the audience singing in unison, creating an incredible atmosphere.

Reflecting on the experience, Duane expressed his gratitude, saying, “I have been touring around the world, but I don’t remember the last time I played with a full horn section. Kuchoko gave me that. Thanks so much. I will come again.”

The energy remained high as Kenyatta Hills took to the stage at 4:00 AM, performing classic reggae hits from his late father’s iconic album, including “Addis Ababa,” “One Stone,”  “Behold,” and “Jah Rastafari.” His powerful tribute to Culture resonated deeply with the audience, creating an emotional and memorable connection with the crowd.

The festival also featured a wide array of performances by talented artists such as JahWi, Osagyefo, Aklerh, Renner, Kwame Bediako, and The Mighty Orthodox Band. The event also saw performances from Burkinabé acts Ras Simposh, ZMo, and Ima Hado, who brought their unique styles to the stage.

Organized by Blakk Rasta, the Kuchoko Roots Festival continues to solidify its reputation as one of the premier reggae festivals in the region, bringing together music lovers from all walks of life for a celebration of reggae culture and community.