Ghana’s 1st GRAMMY Nominee, Rocky Dawuni has been crowned artiste of the year at the Bass Awards 2016 which was held at the National Theatre on December 25, 2016.
Dawuni won the prestigious “Kwame Nkrumah Award,” otherwise known as the “Artiste of the Year”, together with “Album of the Year” with his GRAMMY nominated album “Branches of the Same Tree” (Cumbancha) as well as for “Reggae Artiste of the Year.”
In a statement, Dawuni said: “I am truly honored to be accorded the Kwame Nkrumah Award at the BASS Awards 2016. This year has been an amazing year filled with milestones for me personally, the Ghanaian music industry and Ghana’s reggae/dancehall movement across the board.
“We have seen our music rising in stature and becoming a formidable force at home and abroad. We have seen our music now represented on some of the most prestigious global platforms including the GRAMMY nomination for ‘Branches of the Same Tree’.
“I therefore would like to accept these awards in acknowledgement of my fellow musicians who were also nominated in the respective categories and the various artistes, DJs, radio stations, TV stations, event organizers and practitioners who have all contributed in unique ways to the growth of our industry.
“Finally I would like to dedicate the awards to the people of Ghana for demonstrating a true spirit of unity and political maturity during our recent elections.”
The BASS Awards is an annual awards ceremony that celebrates and rewards various players in the Ghanaian Reggae and Dancehall music industry in Ghana and Africa.
Dawuni is one of Africa’s most highly celebrated musicians and activists who has influenced the international scene across various continents with his “Afro Roots” Reggae music.
