Ghanaian rapper Edem has reignited a long-standing debate by claiming that he was unjustly denied the Artiste of the Year award at the 2015 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA). In a recent post on X, Edem likened his experience to the recent Ballon d’Or controversy, where Vinicius Jr. was widely expected to win but did not. Edem described the decision as a “heinous crime” and “daylight robbery”.
In 2015, the nominees for the prestigious Artiste of the Year category included Daddy Lumba, Stonebwoy, Guru, Edem, MzVee, Sarkodie, and Samini. Stonebwoy ultimately took home the award, a decision that Edem has continued to contest. Edem’s song “Koene” and its remix “The One” earned him several nominations, including Best Rapper, but he believes his hard work and contributions were overlooked by the VGMA board.