Musician and radio host Blakk Rasta has opened up about his decision to distance himself from award schemes that rely on paid voting, disclosing that he returned nearly 40 plaques he had received over the years.
In an interview with Kafui Dey, the reggae artiste stated firmly that he does not believe in awards that require artistes or fans to spend money to secure wins.
“Everything… I sent all the awards back to everybody who ever gave me an award that I had to vote for and pay money for. My spirit didn’t feel good carrying this load in my house,” he said.
Blakk Rasta explained that although the honours were meant to celebrate his work, the process behind them made him feel uncomfortable and undervalued.
“Thank you for honouring me, but I see that as a dishonour. I had to pay via voting. I had to convince my fans to pay for this award. No, I don’t want it,” he added.
The musician, who once won Best Reggae Song at the Ghana Music Awards in the early 2000s, disclosed that he formally returned his awards to organisers, including Charterhouse Productions, as well as other schemes such as the Baze Awards and the Radio and Television Personalities Awards.
He also expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of acknowledgement after returning the plaques.
“I wrote a letter and sent it to Charterhouse. They didn’t even have the courtesy to write back… Nothing,” he claimed.
According to Blakk Rasta, the only award he has kept is one he received in London, which did not involve any form of voting or financial contribution.
Reaffirming his stance, he stressed that he will not participate in any award scheme that requires payment.
“I am not part of any awards programme that has to do with voting or paying to vote. No, I don’t do that.”
His remarks add to ongoing debates within Ghana’s entertainment industry about the transparency and credibility of award schemes that depend heavily on fan voting.
