Kenya in talks for Grammy Recording Academy's Africa headquarters

Sports, Youth Affairs, and Creative Economy Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba on Tuesday participated in the inaugural meeting of the Recording Academy/Africa steering committee, which aims to establish a Grammy's Recording Academy in Africa.

The meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda, chaired by Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay and CEO Harvey Mason Junior, convened to discuss the future of African music on a global scale.

Accompanied by Youth Affairs and Creative Economy PS Ismail Maalim as well as Director of Innovation and Talent Development Moses Weunda, CS Namwamba underscored the historic importance of the gathering for African music and culture.

He described it as a pivotal moment that is long overdue and holds immense potential for African creatives.

Emphasizing the benefits, the CS highlighted that the initiative would foster skill development, talent cultivation, infrastructure investment, and international exposure for African artists.

He praised the Recording Academy's involvement as monumental in providing Kenya with a strategic platform to elevate its music globally.

CS Namwamba expressed Kenya's pride in being one of the four champions of the Pan African Recording Academy, alongside Rwanda, Nigeria, and South Africa.

“Kenya is confident that the partnership will empower emerging talent, leverage technology to improve production quality and distribution, preserve cultural heritage, build sustainable ecosystems, and advocate for conducive policies for artists," he said.

"Our continent boasts immense potential for technology to revolutionize African music production and monetization which the Recording academy should leverage on.”

He called for prioritizing a journey of creativity, envisioning a future that encourages fearless creativity to drive innovation and fuel imagination within the African music industry.

CS Namwamba further highlighted the transformative potential of technology to revolutionize African music production and monetization, urging the Recording Academy to seize this opportunity.

He emphasized that the collaborative efforts of Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Nigeria mark the beginning of an exciting chapter for African music.

This initiative, according to the CS, promises transformative opportunities that will empower artists across the continent, ensuring they receive the recognition and opportunities they rightfully deserve.