Ghanaian music duo DopeNation is speaking out about what they describe as years of being sidelined in the music industry, particularly when it comes to awards recognition. Appearing on the Big Convo segment on 3Music, the twins, known for their energetic performances and genre-bending hits, opened up about the realities behind the scenes and why they believe their contributions haven’t always been fairly acknowledged.
According to the duo, the industry’s rigid award categories often fail to reflect the diversity of their sound. Citing their song Zomizo, they questioned why such a massive hit didn’t earn nominations in categories like Popular Song of the Year or Hip Life Song of the Year. “Zomizo is not Hip Life, but it has elements of it. So, because it doesn’t fit neatly into a box, does it mean it doesn’t deserve recognition?” they questioned.
DopeNation believes that music genre definitions in Ghana have become too restrictive, especially following the Ghana Piano movement, a style they helped pioneer. The lack of flexibility in categorization, they argue, is one reason their work is often excluded. “This is the thing about sidelining,” they said. “You won’t get the awards; nobody will talk about you, but at least, you won’t look broke.”
Despite the frustrations, the duo made it clear they’re not chasing awards for validation. They revealed they’ve chosen to stay away from some award schemes altogether. “Let me say it since we’re being controversial. We were reached out to, but we said we didn’t want to be part of any awards,” they disclosed, suggesting that the politics behind the scenes have made it hard for them to fully buy into the system.
However, that doesn’t mean they are unrecognized. “We have plenty of awards at home,” they stated, but they quickly emphasized that trophies do not define their worth. For them, it’s about the craft and the long-term perspective. “You might have a plaque on your shelf to show in 20 years, but we’re more focused on the music living beyond the moment.”
In their closing thoughts, DopeNation pointed to a larger issue in the Ghanaian music industry: how the desire to fit into “award-friendly” categories ends up stifling creativity. “By the time you realize, a song that barely made waves is winning Song of the Year because it fit into a structure. Meanwhile, the real culture-shifting sounds are left out.”
In a message to both industry gatekeepers and fellow artists, DopeNation stressed: “It is for the craft. If you let politics dictate your art, you’ll end up losing.”
