Take it or leave it, PAM Awards are Ok
Dec 09, 2004
<br>Let’s get this straight. The Pearl of Africa Music Awards is the best thing that has ever happened to Ugandan music.
Let’s get this straight. The Pearl of Africa Music Awards is the best thing that has ever happened to Ugandan music.
However, soon after the second edition of the awards at Munyonyo on October 2, they have faced a lot of criticism. They have been on the wrong end of the hammering from the print media. “PAM Awards were hot air,†hollered one paper. But now that the last catcall has died out I guess I should try to add my voice on the issue and try to clear the remaining dust in the air. Were the awards really a sham?
Is the mode voting for the winner via sms a concoction of the hyperactive brains of Isaac Mulindwa and his ‘hapless’ committee members? It seems facts have nothing to do with journalism anymore. If any reporter had really cared, he would have done a little digging and found out that most music awards in the world are conducted and won through a popular vote! And that record companies actually campaign for the musicians under their labels.
In the the 30-year old People’s Choice Awards in America, the winner is chosen after carrying out a gallup poll representing 212 million Americans aged 12 years and above. The American Music Awards, which were started in 1974 as a populist competitor to the Grammy Awards nominees are first chosen arbitrarily based on the sales of records and airplay.
But the final winners are voted via a survey of 20,000 music fans and so are the the London Music awards in the UK, MTV. The list goes on and on. Only academy members are allowed to vote in the Grammy Awards which were created in 1958 by a group of record executives. Although they considered the ‘holy grail’ of the music industry, they have been dogged by controversy since they were first telecast in 1971.
In fact some music critics refer to them as ‘off-the-mark awards’. This is why. In 2001 many American Music fans were left aghast when an artist called Steely Dan Took precedence over then high riding NYSYNC, Rap musicians also felt they got a raw deal and since then hip hop stars like Jayz have kept away from the grammies as form of protest. Remember that platinum-haired musician called Sisqo? Well, many tipped him favourite for Best New Artist on the strength of his ‘Thong (G string) Song. The audiences were stunned when the award was given to a country/soul singer called Shelby Lynne! Another example.
I admire Jose Chameleone. His charisma, stagecraft and the fact that everything he touches somehow manages to turn into gold. Just imagine what would have happened had any other musician been voted the Best Ugandan Artist at the inaugural PAM awards at Munyonyo last year.The crowd could have certainly set the tent on fire!
But can any one explain how Pastor George Okudi gave Chameleone and Bebe Cool a bloody nose when he was voted Best East African Artist and finally Best Male African Artist of the Year at the Kora wards in South Africa, Or did he bribe the panel of judges? I will tell you why. The judges realised that Wipolo was more musical than Chameleone Bei Kali. Take it or leave it.
Top reggae producer Winston Mayanja, says, save for a few things that need to be adjusted, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the PAM awards. “Everybody has been giving an opinion but missing the point. There two types of music awards. The academy which is composed of a panel and the popular awards where the general public is asked to vote for their favourite artists via the internet, and sms, “God forbid if we to pick a panel of judges made up of music professors and professional musicians to sit and decide the best artists in each category next year.
“In fact most of the nominations might be thrown out because Ugandan music is very shallow,†he said.
jbatte@newvision.co.ug
However, soon after the second edition of the awards at Munyonyo on October 2, they have faced a lot of criticism. They have been on the wrong end of the hammering from the print media. “PAM Awards were hot air,†hollered one paper. But now that the last catcall has died out I guess I should try to add my voice on the issue and try to clear the remaining dust in the air. Were the awards really a sham?
Is the mode voting for the winner via sms a concoction of the hyperactive brains of Isaac Mulindwa and his ‘hapless’ committee members? It seems facts have nothing to do with journalism anymore. If any reporter had really cared, he would have done a little digging and found out that most music awards in the world are conducted and won through a popular vote! And that record companies actually campaign for the musicians under their labels.
In the the 30-year old People’s Choice Awards in America, the winner is chosen after carrying out a gallup poll representing 212 million Americans aged 12 years and above. The American Music Awards, which were started in 1974 as a populist competitor to the Grammy Awards nominees are first chosen arbitrarily based on the sales of records and airplay.
But the final winners are voted via a survey of 20,000 music fans and so are the the London Music awards in the UK, MTV. The list goes on and on. Only academy members are allowed to vote in the Grammy Awards which were created in 1958 by a group of record executives. Although they considered the ‘holy grail’ of the music industry, they have been dogged by controversy since they were first telecast in 1971.
In fact some music critics refer to them as ‘off-the-mark awards’. This is why. In 2001 many American Music fans were left aghast when an artist called Steely Dan Took precedence over then high riding NYSYNC, Rap musicians also felt they got a raw deal and since then hip hop stars like Jayz have kept away from the grammies as form of protest. Remember that platinum-haired musician called Sisqo? Well, many tipped him favourite for Best New Artist on the strength of his ‘Thong (G string) Song. The audiences were stunned when the award was given to a country/soul singer called Shelby Lynne! Another example.
I admire Jose Chameleone. His charisma, stagecraft and the fact that everything he touches somehow manages to turn into gold. Just imagine what would have happened had any other musician been voted the Best Ugandan Artist at the inaugural PAM awards at Munyonyo last year.The crowd could have certainly set the tent on fire!
But can any one explain how Pastor George Okudi gave Chameleone and Bebe Cool a bloody nose when he was voted Best East African Artist and finally Best Male African Artist of the Year at the Kora wards in South Africa, Or did he bribe the panel of judges? I will tell you why. The judges realised that Wipolo was more musical than Chameleone Bei Kali. Take it or leave it.
Top reggae producer Winston Mayanja, says, save for a few things that need to be adjusted, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the PAM awards. “Everybody has been giving an opinion but missing the point. There two types of music awards. The academy which is composed of a panel and the popular awards where the general public is asked to vote for their favourite artists via the internet, and sms, “God forbid if we to pick a panel of judges made up of music professors and professional musicians to sit and decide the best artists in each category next year.
“In fact most of the nominations might be thrown out because Ugandan music is very shallow,†he said.
jbatte@newvision.co.ug