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The Vodafone Ghana Awards, established by CharterHouse in 1999 is held annually to celebrate Ghanaian artists whose music made the waves, crossed borders, and made people fall in love with their acts in the year under review.
It is the award scheme that brings together all the artists on one stage to give electrifying performances, the thrills, and fun all together.
Over the years, it has witnessed its share of controversies; from artists complaining of being robbed of a certain award category and a whole lot.
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The controversies have somehow pushed the award scheme to the pinnacle in Ghana’s entertainment space as it is being regarded as the biggest entertainment show in a calendar year.
The award show has been organized 23 times with 22 musicians winning the Artiste of the Year category; the ultimate award which often generates tension among the nominees before its announcement.
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The VGMA Artiste of the year plague has been won by some of the country’s finest musicians; including Daddy Lumba who won the first Artiste of the Year award in 2000.
Ghanaian Afrobeat artist, KiDi is the latest musician to win it and will hope to defend the title which has never happened in the history of the award show.
Rapper and two-time BET award winner, Sarkodie, and Ghanaian music group, V.I.P are the only artists who have won it on two separate occasions.
Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale could have added another one to the previous ones they had won but their scuffle in 2019 saw the Artist of the Year award scrapped for the first time in the event’s history.
Below is the list of all the winners from Daddy Lumba to the current holder of the award plaque, Dennis Dwamena also known as KiDi.
2000: Daddy Lumba
2001: Kojo Antwi
2002: Lord Kenya
2003: Kontihene
2004: V.I.P
2005: Bice Osei Kuffour
2006: Ofori Amponsah
2007: Samini
2008: Kwaw Kese
2009: Okyeame Kwame
2010: Sarkodie
2011: V.I.P
2012: Sarkodie
2013: R2Bees
2014: Shatta Wale
2015: Stonebwoy
2016: E.L
2017: Joe Mettle
2018: Ebony Reigns
2019: Unannounced due to Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale’s infamous fracas.
2020: Kuami Eugene
2021: Diana Hamilton
2022: KiDi
Source: GhBase
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