25th TGMA: I wish attention for AOTY was extended to the other nominees – Stonebwoy

Winner of Artiste of the Year (AOTY) award for the 25th TGMA, Stonebwoy has reacted to the debate which surfaced about AOTY award between himself and King Promise prior to the event.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 for the first time since winning the award, Stonebwoy said he never got to know about the debate on social until a week to the event.

The nine-time Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year said he wished the attention given to himself and King Promise was extended to the other nominees on the category.

According to him, the sole focus on only two out of the six artistes created the impression that the other nominees did not put in much effort in the year under review.

“One thing I felt was like I wish the attention would be spread out across all the nominees because it was not only a Stonebwoy and King Promise thing.

“I felt that if the attention was extended to the other five or six nominees then it will now become a thing of fact. Limiting it to two artistes almost always takes away the fact that all nominees have worked and not just the two,” he said to Berla Mundi on Friday, June 7.

Stonebwoy believes the fans should not determine the top two contenders for the Artiste of the Year.

“Why I say that is that that is not for the fans to determine. The fans are only supposed to propel, propagate, project the works of the artiste under the year of review and then vote that is what I think they determine,” he added.

The “Ekelebe” hitmaker explained that it is only the criteria of the Ghana Music Awards determines the top two artistes.

He emphasized that the action of the fans “brings a little bit of resentment and unhealthy competition” between the artistes.

Stonebwoy earned 13 nominations at the just-ended Ghana Music Awards, taking home 6 awards on the night including the Reggae Dancehall Artiste and the Artiste of the Year award.