Burna Boy and Wizkid each clinched an award at the just concluded Grammys for Best Global Music Album and Best Music Video and many of their fans were happy for this win.
However, while this celebration was going on, social media began circulating reports that Tiwa Savage, Femi, and Made Kuti also got awards which have generated lots of controversy on social media.
Tiwa Savage, Femi and Made Kuti featured in Coldplay’s 2019 album, Everyday Life. The album got a nomination for Best Record Packing and Album of The Year. The Kutis featured on the amazing record, ‘Arabesque’ where Femi Kuti had an amazing Trumpet solo while Tiwa Savage worked on ‘Eko.’
The album, however, did win the much-coveted album of the year award as it went to Taylor Swift’s Album, Folklore.
If Coldplay had won, Tiwa Savage, Femi, and Made Kuti, would still not have won a Grammy. According to Vox:
Generally, if you participated in creating a significant portion of the album (defined as at least 33 percent of its playing time), you get a golden gramophone.
Also, looking at the rules of the category, it says:
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental recordings. Award to Artist(s) and to Featured Artist(s), Songwriter(s) of new material, Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s), Mixer(s), and Mastering Engineer(s) credited with at least 33% playing time of the album, if other than Artist.
Since the three Nigerian artists didn’t participate in creating 33% of the album, they will only get Grammy certificates and not gramophones.
Femi has been nominated for a Grammy award four times in the world music category in 2003, 2010, 2012, and 2013 but has never won.
Made Kuti is Fela’s grandson and Femi’s son, he grew up in The New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London, and has played in Femi’s Positive Force band from a young age.
Tiwa Savage has won several awards and one is Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first woman to win the category.
