Stonebwoy wins 2024 International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMAs)

Stonebwoy won the Best African Dancehall Entertainer award at the 2024 International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMAs) held at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in Florida, at the weekend.

Now in its 41st edition, the scheme acknowledges and honors the accomplishments and contributions of reggae and world music artists, including: songwriters, performers, promoters and musicians. Produced by Martin’s International, the scheme is committed to promoting greater participation and acceptance of Reggae, Caribbean and World Music, Internationally.

Acclaimed as Africa’s most decorated reggae and dancehall artiste, Stonebwoy beat competition from Patoranking (Nigeria), Redsan (Kenya), Star Zee (Sierra Leone), Shatta Wale (Ghana), and Winky D. (Zimbabwe/South Africa) to win his third IRAWMAs. His last IRAWMAs win came in 2020, where he was crowned the Best African Dancehall Entertainer. Prior to that, he was named IRAWMAs Most Promising Artiste at the 2016 edition of the presentation ceremony

Stonebwoy reacts:

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Martin’s International and IRAWMA for this esteemed honor, despite my absence at last weekend’s ceremony. This recognition is a direct reflection of my role as mouthpiece in powering afrodancehall into a globally accepted cultural phenomenom. Thank you for believing in my music and for allowing me to share my passion with the world.”

Born Livingstone Satekla, the award-winning Stonebwoy seamless blends Afropop, dancehall and reggae into a distinctive sound, identified as “Afro-dancehall”, that has seen him habitually publish runaway hits, making him Ghana’s leading name in music since 2012. With numerous awards amassed over the years, including seven Ghana Music Awards for Reggae & Dancehall Artiste of the Year, four AFRIMA awards, BET, Billboard Plaques, Nickelodeon Kids Choice, and more, he has maintained a continual presence in Africa’s music mainstream, firmly establishing the continent on the global musical map.

Elsewhere, Stonebwoy headlined the 2023 Africa Games closing ceremony put together by the African Union on March 23. He left the crowd buzzing and yearning for more after putting on a spectacular immersive 10-song set performance at the fully-packed 20,000-capacity University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Accra to close out this year’s continental multi-sport event held in Ghana.