Entertainment critic, Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo, has taken a swipe at persons who are lambasting the sponsor of Ghana Music Awards-United Kingdom (GMA-UK), Taabea, for investing in the award scheme after it came to light the amount of money some artists were paid for their performance.
He noted that Taabea should be applauded for his commitment to invest in the award scheme and sustain it for quite some time despite concerns that it won’t stand the test of time.
According to him, it makes no sense for anyone to criticize Taabea for investing his finances in the GMA-UK award scheme to promote Ghanaian music on the international stage.
He made the remark after criticisms by some individuals on social media chiding Taabea for sponsoring the GMA-UK awards following the controversy between Shatta Wale and Kwasi Aboagye over the amount paid to artists that performed at this year’s event.
“One of the conversations that sprung up was the fact that some people were bashing Taabea for sponsoring the award [GMA-UK]. I haven’t seen this conversation lingering in the main media but I saw it mostly on social media. I’ve always maintained that we shouldn’t allow such conversations to influence discussions in the traditional media because it does not help. That’s when the filling of the O2 arena conversation began.”
Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo
He further descended on critics and asked if they knew what it takes to sponsor an event.
“It would be a shame for any mainstream media to mock Taabea for sponsoring the Ghana Music Awards – UK. The only personality who trolled Taabea was DJ Slim who even did it on social media. It makes no sense to criticize Taabea for sponsoring the GMA -UK awards.
“Do you know what it takes to actually sponsor an event? So we should rather applaud Taabea for sustaining the awards all these years. Because everybody involved in the awards was paid. Even those who swept the venue had something all because of the funding Taabea has invested in the award scheme.”
Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo
It would be recalled that Kwasi Aboagye labeled Shatta Wale’s claims that he (Shatta Wale) was paid a whopping £80,000 for performing at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2023 as false.
Earlier in a Twitter post, the Dancehall musician, while appreciating the organizers and fans for a successful event, bragged about being honored with such an amount. However, Kwasi Aboagye insisted that Shatta Wale’s statements were mere lies.
In response, Shatta Wale launched a scathing attack on Kwasi Aboagye and the owners of Despite Media, the entity that employs the radio presenter. Regardless of the attack, an unfazed Kwasi Aboagye maintained that the claim that Shatta Wale was paid such an amount was false.
Shatta Wale Worth More Than 80,000 Pounds
Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo revealed that Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale, is worth more than the 80,000 pounds performance fee claim that has become a contention in the media space.
According to him, Shatta Wale charges more than the contentious amount that some personalities in the creative arts industry believe he is not worth considering the money he is paid when he performs at various events.
Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo stated that the niche Shatta Wale has carved for himself in the music industry outweighs the 80,000 pounds Kwasi Aboagye is doubting he could be paid.
“Shatta Wale is worth more than 80,000 pounds. We were in Ghana and Shatta Wale came to tell us that for Back-to-back-to-back shows; Afro Nation, and Cardi B concert, he charged $100,000 and charged $120,000 for Wilderland. In fact, initially, I was doubting just like anybody else would but after consulting some of the organizers, especially for Wilderland, it came out that he indeed took $120,000.”
Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo
“So with Shatta Wale as a brand and with all the longevity, relevance, and dominance over the years, he is worth more than 80,000 pounds. Considering somebody who has charged more than $100,000 for three shows, he is worth more than the amount he quoted, so let’s establish that fact,” he further stated.
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