The Recording Academy has announced a new category for the 66th GRAMMY Awards, which will be hosted in 2024.
The new category has been announced as “Best African Music Performance” and will seek to recognise the various sounds of the continent.
The academy announced that among the several genres that will fall under this category is Amapiano and South African hip hop.
“Our goal at the #Recording Academy is to recognize and honour the very best in music from across the globe,” they announced on Instagram.
“Every year, we strive to accurately represent and celebrate the various cultures, influences and genres that shape our world and provide the soundtrack to our lives. Today, we're proud to announce a new category for the 66th GRAMMY Awards - Best African Music Performance.”
They also shared that the category will recognise tracks and singles that utilise unique local expressions from across the African continent.
It will highlight regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions under genres such as Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga and South African hip hop.
The new category was authored by Shawn Thwaites, who is the general manager for the awards.
“WE DID IT!! I am honoured to be on the right side of history as the author of the Best African Music Performance category,” he shared on Instagram. “I would like to thank my supporting cast for all the hard work and dedication on seeing this through.”
He described this new category as a significant step forward for the recognition and celebration of the “rich and diverse musical traditions of Africa”.
He added: “Lastly, Congratulations to Africa for the incredible music that has inspired and entertained people around the world for decades!”
Recently, local music continued to make global strides when Pabi Cooper, Uncle Waffles and K.O were nominated at the upcoming BET Awards.
The trio, as well as the likes of Major League DJz, Focalistic, Young Stunna and Musa Keys, will now be eyeing the new Grammys category.