The Recording Academy, the organizers of the Grammy Awards, faced significant backlash on social media for referring to Nigerian afrobeat superstar Wizkid as an “up-and-coming artist.” The criticism arose after the Academy included Wizkid’s name in a post asking about up-and-coming Black artists to watch out for.
Many Nigerians, particularly Wizkid’s fans, found this label demeaning considering the singer’s stature as one of Africa’s most successful music artists. Social media users expressed their dissatisfaction, with some finding it disrespectful and questioning the Grammy’s judgment in labeling Wizkid as up-and-coming when he is widely recognized as one of the top three afrobeat artists.