GNL Zamba Reveals the Real Reason He No Longer Wants to Be Nominated for Ugandan Music Awards

Lugaflow emcee GNL Zamba, whose real name is Ernest Nsimbi, shared his thoughts on why he no longer seeks nominations for Ugandan music awards.

He explained that the music award scene is deeply political, and when rappers are not nominated, it is often because their music is seen as a threat by those in control.

Their talent is so strong that it threatens others with their potential success. Recognizing and awarding them could boost their influence, making them a threat to the status quo.

He stressed the importance of understanding who owns the awards, saying that if artistes took the time to find out who controls these awards, they would better understand why they are excluded from nominations.

He pointed out that while young artistes may initially seek recognition, as they gain experience and better understand the industry’s inner workings, they begin to see that awards are often about politics rather than musical excellence.

GNL also revealed that awards, particularly Ugandan awards, are highly exploitative.

Award organizers create concepts, sell them to sponsors, and pocket the money, leaving artistes with nothing more than symbolic prizes, such as a piece of glass or wood.

GNL feels that this practice is exploitative because while the organizers benefit financially, the artistes receive worthless accolades.

He also highlighted that this issue is not unique to Uganda. On the global stage, awards are often influenced by the power of record labels.

GNL pointed to Taylor Swift as an example, explaining that her record label ensures she consistently wins major awards.

This, he believes, reinforces his view that awards are more about publicity and promotion than recognizing genuine talent.

In the end, GNL expressed that he no longer wants to be nominated for local awards, as he feels they are pointless and offer no real benefit.