We all know that the Grammy Award is the most prestigious award in world music. It is an award given to the best artistes in the world and over the years a couple of African acts have snagged this award for their contributions to music.
With Beyonce’s new Lion King Album which featured a couple of African acts to include Wizkid, Yemi Alde, Tekno, Shatta Wale, Tiwa Savage, Mr Eazi amongst others, Africans are certain of a Grammy award again.
Here are the nine Africans who have won the Grammy Awards.
1. Ali Farka Touré – 3 Grammys
Malian guitarist and songwriter Ali Farka Toure since his emergence on the scene has snagged 3 Grammy awards, He won his first Grammy in 1995 for the ‘Best World Music Album’ with his album ‘Talking Timbuktu’.
In 2011 Toure won the award for the ‘Best Traditional World Music Album ‘for his album ‘Ali and Toumani’
2. Owuor Arunga – 3 Grammys
Arunga hit the limelight with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ‘s ‘Thrift Shop’ with his trumpeting skills which the group used in many parts of their 2014 album ‘The Heist’.
‘Thrift Shop’ bagged a Grammy for ‘Best Rap Song’ and ‘Best Rap Performance’ while ‘The Heist’ snagged a Grammy for ‘Best Rap Album’.
3. Angélique Kidjo – 3 Grammys
Beninese vocal-powerhouse Angelique needs little or no introduction in the music world. The singer who is fluent in Fon, French, Yorùbá and English languages won a Grammy for ‘Best Contemporary World Album’ with ’Djin Djin’. She also won the ‘Best World Music Album’ in 2015 for ‘Eve’ and in 2016, ‘Best World Music Album’ for ‘Sings.’
READ ALSO: 5 Nominations and Counting: Will the Kuti Brothers bring home a Grammy some day soon?
4. Ladysmith Black Mambazo- 5 Grammys
This all-male South African Acappella group bagged the first Grammy in 1988. They won the award for the ‘Best Traditional Folk Recording’ category for Shaka Zulu.
In 2004, the group won their second Grammy for the ‘Best Traditional World Music Album’ category, for their ‘Raise Your Spirit Higher’ album.
In 2009 their album ‘Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu bagged a Grammy Award. In 2013 they snagged another Grammy in ‘Best World Music Album’ category for ‘Live: Singing for Peace around the World,’ and another in 2017.
5. Soweto Gospel Choir – 3 Grammys
The South African music group won the Grammy Award for ‘Best Traditional World’ Music Album in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
2 years later, they won another Grammy award with their collaboration with Christopher Tin for a song called “Baba Yetu.”
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