Culture

Rema’s Ethiopian Concert cancelled over necklace controversy

Published

8 months ago

September 8, 2023

A much-anticipated concert to mark the Ethiopian New Year’s Eve, which was to feature Nigeria’s Afrobeats star boy, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has been cancelled following what organizers described as “religious sentiment and suggestive imagery” in reference to the artiste’s necklace.

The multiple award-winning singer was to perform at the concert scheduled for the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa on Saturday, September 9, but the organisers had to call off the event following public outrage over the artwork on his customised necklace which they say is associated with “worshipping the devil”, a statement claimed on Friday.

The management of Sheraton Hotel, which also released a statement announcing the cancellation of the concert, said the “decision came as a result of the artwork used for the concert, where Mr. Ikubor wore a customised necklace that has a burning church and inverted crosses.”

Local media reports that the imagery on the necklace had sparked significant public outcry and condemnation, and was viewed as disrespectful and offensive by many Ethiopians.

“The symbols used by the Nigerian singer, Rema, particularly a burning church featured on his necklace and used as a backdrop for his performances, were viewed as disrespectful and offensive by many Ethiopians,” an online platform wrote.

“The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, with its deep cultural heritage and strong religious convictions, had also condemned the symbols, emphasising that the imagery is against Ethiopian culture, history, and religious values,” it added.

An Ethiopian entertainment enthusiast, who was interviewed by a Nigerian media personality, Daddy Freeze, also confirmed her countrymen’s concerns over the controversial necklace.

In the interview, she explained that “Ikubor’s necklace led to accusations of him worshipping the devil, which ultimately resulted in the cancellation of his show by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.”

“They made a statement, like a press release in Ethiopia about Rema. Yes, you can imagine, it’s a very big deal. They’re basically saying he is worshipping the devil because of what he has on his neck. And to be honest, I never thought of it myself. And there’s more to it; to be honest,” she opined.

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Culture

Burna Boy, Asake, Davido, Tems, other Nigerian stars bag BET nominations

Published

23 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Thursday was a good day for Nigerian music stars, and especially the entertainment industry, as singers Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Asake, Tems, Davido, Lojay, and Seyi Vibez, were all nominated for the 2024 BET Awards.

The BET Awards 2024 will air live on BET on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at 8 p.m.

The announcement of the nominations by the organizers of the annual BET Awards also went a long way to show the significant impacts Nigerian singers have demonstrated on the global music landscape.

Burna Boy got his nomination from his album, “African Giant” which was nominated in the Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Best Male R&B/POP Artist categories.

He was joined by fellow Nigerian acts, Asake, Ayra Starr, and Seyi Vibez, in the category which has American star, Drake, leading the pack with seven nominations while Nicki Minaj has six.

Davido and Lojay both earned nominations for the Viewers Choice Award courtesy of their appearance on Chris Brown’s ‘Sensational’, while Asake was also nominated for Best International Act, just Seyi Vibez earned the nod for Viewers Choice Best International New Act.

Other significant nominations for the BET AWARDS Nomination include:

Album of the year:

Chris Brown – ’11:11′

Gunna – ‘A Gift & A Curse’

21 Savage – ‘American Dream’

Usher – ‘Coming Home’

Drake – ‘For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)’

Victoria Monét – ‘Jaguar II’

Killer Mike – ‘Michael’

Nicki Minaj – ‘Pink Friday 2’

Best female R&B/pop artist

Beyoncé

Coco Jones

Doja Cat

H.E.R.

Muni Long

SZA

Tyla

Victoria Monét

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Brent Faiyaz

Bryson Tiller

Burna Boy

Chris Brown

Drake

Fridayy

October London

Usher

Best Group

¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne

Blxst & Bino Rideaux

City Girls

Flo

Maverick City Music

Wanmor

Best Collaboration

Lil Durk feat. J. Cole – ‘All My Life’

Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, – ‘America Has a Problem (Remix)’

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua) – ‘Barbie World’

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Bongos’

¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid, Playboi Carti – ‘Carnival’

Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami – ‘Don’t Play With It (Remix)’

Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Everybody’

Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage – ‘Good Good’

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist

Cardi B

Doja Cat

GloRilla

Ice Spice

Latto

Megan Thee Stallion

Nicki Minaj

Sexyy Red

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist

21 Savage

Burna Boy

Drake

Future

Gunna

Cole
Kendrick Lamar

Lil Wayne

Best New Artist

4Batz

Ayra Starr

Bossman Dlow

Fridayy

October London

Sexyy Red

Tyla

Video Of The Year

Doja Cat – ‘Agora Hills’

Lil Durk feat J. Cole – ‘All My Life’

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua) – ‘Barbie World’

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Bongos’

Drake feat. J. Cole – ‘First Person Shooter’

Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage – ‘Good Good’

Victoria Monét – ‘On My Mama’

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’

Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

Shirley Caesar – ‘Award All of the Glory’

Kirk Franklin – ‘All Things’

Halle Bailey – ‘Angel’

CeCe Winans – ‘Come Jesus Come’

Erica Campbell – ‘Do You Believe in Love?’

Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore – ‘God Problems’

Tems – ‘Me & U’

Kirk Franklin – ‘Try Love’

Viewer’s Choice Award

Doja Cat – ‘Agora Hills’

Lil Durk feat. J. Cole – ‘All My Life’

Gunna – ‘Fukumean’

Jack Harlow – ‘Lovin on Me’

Muni Long – ‘Made for Me’

Victoria Monét – ‘On My Mama’

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’

Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay – ‘Sensational’

Beyoncé – ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’

Tyla – ‘Water’

Best International Act

Asake (Africa)

Aya Nakamura (France)

Ayra Starr (Africa)

Bk’ (Brazil)

Cleo Sol (UK)

Focalistic (Africa)

Karol Conká (Brazil)

Raye (UK)

Tiakola (France)

Tyla (Africa)

Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act

Bellah (UK)

Cristale (UK)

Duquesa (Brazil)

Holly G (France)

Jungeli (France)

Makhadzi (Africa)

Oruam (Brazil)

Seyi Vibez (Africa)

Tyler Icu (Africa)

Culture

Legendary American music icon Stevie Wonder becomes full Ghanaian citizen

Published

3 days ago

May 15, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Legendary American singer and songwriter, Stevie Wonder, is now officially a Ghanaian citizen after he took an oath of allegiance administered by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Wonder who was granted citizenship of the West African country on Monday which marked his 74th birthday, is one among a number of American celebrities who have decided to trace their family roots back to Africa.

While granting the icon the country’s citizenship with a certificate at a ceremony in the presidential palace, Akufo-Addo said it was a big honour to the country and Africa that such greats were coming back to the black continent.

He was also presented with a birthday cake with a Ghanaian flag iced on top.

After the ceremony, Wonder told the BBC that gaining Ghanaian nationality on his birthday was an “amazing thing” moment for him and his family.

The superstar was born and bred in the US state of Michigan but has long had an affinity for Ghana.

As far back as 1975, Wonder had openly expressed a desire to quit music and move to Ghana, a country he believed his ancestral lineage could be traced there while in the 1990s, he made frequent trips to the country as well as headlining a Ghanaian music festival where he again expressed a desire to set up a home there.

Wonder had, in an interview, confessed that his love affair with Ghana was ignited by the people he met whilst there including the late Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings, who in the 1990s hosted him at the presidential residence.

“I remember the late President Rawlings, who allowed me to be a co-pilot on a flight,” Wonder had said.

“I was able to fly with him from one end of Ghana to the other end. The north to the south, and it was amazing.”

Aside Stevie Wonder, other American-African celebrities who took up Ghanaian citizenship included writer, W E B Du Bois, who moved to Ghana and was buried there in 1963, while Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali all paid high-profile visits to the country to reconnect with their African roots.g