TGMA 2026: Kwaw Kese Mocks Nomination Process, Says "Ghana Music Awards Turn Gobɛ"
- Kwaw Kese has criticised the 'opaque'nomination process for the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards
- The TGMAs unveiled nominees for 22 categories, including prominent artists like Stonebwoy and Sarkodie
- However, Kwaw is not convinced by the process and has spoken and got many criticising him for his opinion
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Ghanaian hiplife heavyweight Kwaw Kese has taken a swipe at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs).
Source: Instagram
In a new post, Kwaw Kese has ridiculed the TGMAs' nomination process as opaque and bewildering.
Charterhouse released the nominations for the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs), the 27th edition of the scheme, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
The ceremony saw the unveiling of nominees for 22 award categories.
Among them were Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Kofi Kinaata, Wendy Shay, King Paluta, Black Sherif, Olivetheboy, Medikal, Shatta Wale, and Diana Hamilton, who described her nomination for Artiste Of The Year as humbling.
The nominees list was curated from submissions from the opening of nominations from January 20 to February 8, 2026.
Source: Instagram
Kwaw Kese criticises 2026 TGMA nomination process
However, Kwaw Kese does not seem enthused about how the nomination process was handled and has criticised it.
On X, the blunt-spoken rapper suggested that the awards scheme operates without a visible or predictable selection timeline, leaving the public blindsided by announcements.
"Ghana Music Awards turn gobɛ. You just wake up one day, and there's a nominees party, and you ask yourself how and when people got nominated," he wrote, before sarcastically proposing a rebrand.
"Call it Beans Music Awards," he added.
His 'rebrand' is a pointed jab, with gob3 being the popular Ghanaian street food made from beans, widely associated with everyday, no-frills living.
See Kwaw Kese's X post on the 2026 TGMA nominations below:
Kwaw Kese, born Emmanuel Botchwey, is no stranger to controversy within Ghana's music industry.
The rapper, who won the TGMA Artiste of the Year and four other awards in 2008, has repeatedly clashed with industry structures over the years and is widely regarded as one of the most candid voices in Ghanaian music.
His criticisms of the awards body carry weight, given his longevity in an industry the TGMAs have helped shape for nearly three decades.
Watch the YouTube video of the excerpts of the 2008 Ghana Music Awards below:
Reactions to Kwaw Kese's 2026 TGMA criticism
Kwaw Kese's criticism of the TGMA nomination process has earned him a lot of bashing instead of support.
YEN.com.gh compiled some reactions to the rapper's criticism below.
@datghguy_ said:
"After picking 5 awards on the same night, see what u dey talk now. You’re very ungrateful."
@Biggod_233 said:
"They need to come for their awards, wey you don collect, cause wey better song you use take those awards?"
@realslyfrimzy said:
"The musicians were aware and were told to submit their works for nomination. You're on retirement, so I don't blame you for not being abreast."
@Qwesi_Obeng said:
"You look down on your own music industry, then turn around to complain when people do the same. Once upon a time, we cheered for you. This is the time to do the same for others."
Charlie Dior blasts over Cina Soul TGMA snub
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that fashion critic, Charlie Dior, had also criticised the Ghana Music Award board over some 2026 TGMA nominations.
In a post, he questioned why the famous Ghanaian musician, Cina Soul, was not nominated for the Album/EP Of The Year category.
Source: YEN.com.gh
