Awards
Arts & Entertainment
Wizkid's Loss and the Problem with the Grammys
Following Wizkid's loss in the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album to Angelique Kidjo, the writer examines not the merit of either artist but the structural absurdity of the category itself—a catch-all that bundles radically different musical traditions under a single, reductive label.
Artists to watch in 2022 : The Guardian of Cameroonian Culture - Witty Minstrel
Poise profiles Witty Minstrel, a Cameroonian artist riding the success of his 2021 hit
What a Singing Contest Can Offer You
Singing competitions have long been a pathway to musical visibility and career opportunity, from historical court auditions to contemporary platforms like American Idol. In Cameroon's local music scene, such contests remain valuable for emerging artists seeking platform, audience access, and the material means to develop their craft.
Canal 2'OR and the Structural Failures of Cameroon's Biggest Awards
A sharp critique of the Canal 2'OR awards ceremony's credibility, examining how its biennial schedule, opaque voting, vague eligibility windows, and poorly calibrated categories have rendered its nominations increasingly indefensible. The piece uses specific 2021 nominations to expose systemic gaps in research and curatorial judgment.
Canal D'Or 2019: Measuring an Emerging Awards Culture
Writing in March 2019, the author assesses the twelfth edition of Cameroon's Canal D'Or music awards as the best-organized yet, celebrating standout moments like Daphne Njie's four-award sweep and genuine artist solidarity, while documenting significant gaps in digital strategy, political protocol overreach, and production logistics that constrained what could have been.
The Credibility Question: Afrimma Awards and Central African Music's Merit Problem
A 2017 examination of the Afrimma Awards' nomination process following several controversial inclusions and exclusions in the Central African music category, questioning whether the award's expanded nominee pool serves artistic merit or marketing machinery.
Award Show Politics and the Afrimma Trophy Hunt
A wry survey of the 2017 Afrimma Awards, examining both the absurdity of celebrating African talent outside Africa and the very real stakes for Cameroonian artists seeking recognition on an international stage.