Navio
Uganda and hip-hop at large will be very proud this year after having two rappers join the Grammy Recording Academy class of 2023.
With the first being Ernest Nsimbi alias GNL Zamba together with his wife Miriam Tamar, the latest rapper to join the member class of the Recording Academy is Daniel Kigozi popularly known as Navio.
“And Guess what fam! We are in for the Recording Academy / GRAMMYs 2023 New Member Class. As new members of the Recording Academy, creators and professionals join a roster of their peers dedicated to serving, celebrating, representing, and advocating for music year-round,” Navio revealed on his Facebook page today morning.
Navio and GNL will be part of the close to 3700 creators and music professionals the academy has invited this year in an effort to diversify its membership base. In 2022, the Recording Academy invited over 2700 creators from wide-ranging backgrounds, genres and disciplines to become members.
According to the Academy, of the invitees who accepted their membership invitation last year, 44 per cent were from traditionally underrepresented communities, 47 per cent were under the age of 40, 32 per cent were women, 52 per cent were male. The remaining 16 per cent were composed of individuals who identify as non-binary, and those who opted not to be disclosed.
All the creatives who have accepted their membership of the Recording Academy, class of 2023 will take an active role in the entire 66 Grammy Awards process. The Grammy Awards were organised for the first time on 4 May 1959. The forthcoming annual Grammy Awards will feature a total of 99 categories. The awards are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS).