According to the Blema Tesaa hitmaker, although he worked hard and was confident to win, the other nominees deserved to win as well.

“To some extent, I will say I had a little hope because I believe I worked really hard. And I trusted that all the nominees for that category we all have equal opportunity to win.

“I was really humbled by it though I expected it, when my name was mentioned my heart skipped a beat,” he said on Accra-based Onua TV.

The first-timer beat acts like reigning Artiste of the Year, Black Sherif, Gospel Singer of the Year, Piesie Esther, Fameye, Diana Hamilton, and Ewurabena in the Songwriter of the Year category.

For the Best Male Vocal Performance category, Perez Musik battled with Stonebwoy, King Promise, Camidoh, and Kyei Mensah.

With his Hewale Lala song, Perez Musik bagged five nominations at the 24th edition of the music festival and made away with two awards.

The other categories he was nominated for included; Record of the Year, Best Gospel Song, and Best Gospel Artiste.

ALSO READ:

• 2023 VGMA: Check out full list of winners

• Adom Praiz 2022: Check out Perez Musik’s electrifying performance [Video]

Not only did he make the mining community popular, musically, Black Sherif has proven the best does not always come from the west.

After the most important announcement at the awards night, jubilation erupted in Ashanti Region in celebrating the son of the soil.

Black Sherif was crowned 2023 VGMA Artiste of the Year after beating his topmost contender, Piesie Esther and six others – Stonebwoy, Joe Mettle, Sarkodie, Camidoh, KiDi and King Promise to win the award.

When the media lens caught up with Konongo residents, they were celebrating the victory with wild dance moves on the streets.

The win earned them the bragging right to declare their community, and in extension, the Ashanti Region as the best in Ghana.

They applauded the organizers of VGMA for fairness as they exhibited their pride.

Watch video below:

ALSO READ

• 2023 VGMA: Check out full list of winners

• Black Sherif is 2023 VGMA Artiste of the Year

• KiDi’s show-stopping performance at 24th VGMA leaves audience in awe

Many of them were awarded for their work in the year under review.

One of the big contenders of the night, Piesie Esther, walked home with two awards namely Best Gospel Song with Waye Me Yie and the Best Gospel Artiste of the Year.

Meanwhile, King Promise won the Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste of the Year and Album of the Year Awards. Black Sherif as predicted by some won the overall Artiste of the Year award, Best Hip-Hop Song, Best Music Video and Most Popular Song of the Year award.

However, as expected some people are unhappy, while others are okay, with the awards given and the performances. Social media users had varied reactions to the 2023 VGMA.

Black Sherif took home the Artiste of the Year and three others, Camidoh won Afrobeats Song of the Year and Best Collaboration, King Promise won Album of the Year with 5 Star, Sarkodie won Hiplife Artiste of the Year and Piesie Esther won Gospel Song and Artiste of the Year awards.

Check out the full list of winners below:

Artiste of the Year

Black Sherif ————- winner
Stonebwoy
Sarkodie
King Promise
Camidoh
Kidi
Piesie Esther
Joe Mettle

Most Popular Song of the Year

Camidoh – Sugarcane rmx ft King Promise & Mayokun
Sarkodie – Country Side ft Black Sherif
Black Sherif – Kweku the traveller ———– winner
Lasmid – Friday Night
Kelvyn Boy – Down flat
Gyakie – Something
Wendy Shay – Survivor
Kidi – Blessed ft. Mavado
Stonebwoy – Therapy
Piesie Esther – Waye Me Yie

Record of the Year

King Promise – Yaa Asantewaa ft Frenna
Adomaa – Beginning Again
Perez Muzik – Hewale lala
Stonebwoy – Therapy
Sarkodie – Country Side ft Black Sherif
Gyakie – Far away ———- Winner

Best Gospel Song

Celestine Donkor – Final Say
Piesie Esther – Way3 Me Yie ——– Winner
Diana Hamilton – My Meditation
Joe Mettle – Kadosh
Perez Muzik – Hewale Lala
Bethel Revival Choir – Tegbe Tegbe (Edwin Dadson)
Awura Abena – This Far
MOG Music – Mala

Best New Artiste

Lasmid ———– winner
Djay
Malcom Nuna
Jay Bhad
Ewuraabena
Dj Azonto
Chief One

Album of the Year

Black Sherif – The Villain I Never Was
Sarkodie – Jamz
Gyakie – My Diary
King Promise – 5 Star ———— winner
Kwesi Authur – Son of Jacob
Joe Mettle – The Kadosh

Best Rap Performance Nominees

Medikal – Scarface
Strongman – Goated
Amerado – Obiaa boa ———— winner
Lyrical Joe – 5th August 6
Teephlow – 6feet

International Collaboration of the Year
Camidoh – – Sugarcane rmx ft King Promise & Mayokun ——— winner
Kidi – Touch it ft Tyga
King Promise – Ten Toes ft Omah Lay
Kidi – Blessed ft Mavado
MzVee – Dumebi ft Yemi Alade
King Promise – Run to you ft Chance the Rapper & Vic Mensa
Sarkodie – Better days ft Buju

Collaboration of the Year

FBS – Jo ft Mr Drew
Sarkodie – Country Side ft Black Sherif ——— winner
Epixode – Atiaa ft Kwabena Kwabena
Amerado – Grace ft Lasmid
DJ Breezy – Abonten ft Kwesi Authur, Mugeez, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif & Smallgod
Bethel Revival Choir ft Edwin Dadson – Tegbe Tegbe
Sarkodie – Labadi ft King Promise

Best African Artiste

Ayra Starr
Libianca
Burna Boy
Asake —————- winner
Kizz Daniel
The Therapist

Songwriter of the Year Nominees

Piesie Esther – Waye Me Yie
Black Sherif – Oh Paradise
Perez Muzik – Hewale lala ——- winner
Fameye – Thank You
Diana Hamilton – My Meditation
Ewurabena – This Far

Best Highlife Artiste

Kofi Kinaata —————— winner
Akwaboa
Kuami Eugene
Abiana

Best Hiplife/ Hiphop Artiste

Black Sherif
Sarkodie ————— winner
Kwesi Authur
Medikal
Amerado
Strongman

Best Hip-Hop Song 

Black Sherif – Kweku the traveller ———– winner
Amerado – Obiaa boa
Sarkodie – Country side ft Black Sherif
Malcom Nuna -Benzo
Kwesi Authur – Drama
Medikal – Scarface

Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste

Camidoh
King Promise ——- winner
Gyakie
Kidi
Wendy Shay
Kelvyn Boy

Best Reggae/ Dancehall Artiste

Ras Kuuku
Epixode
Rocky Dawuni
Stonebwoy ———– winner
Samini

Best Gospel Artiste

Piesie Esther ————- winner
Joe Mettle
Perez Muzik
Diana Hamilton
Celestine Donkor
MOG Music

Best Female Vocal Performance

Piesie Esther
Niella ———– Winner
Enuonyam
Cina Soul
Abiana
Adomaa

Best Male Vocal Performance

Camidoh
Kyei Mensah
Perez Muzik ———– Winner
Stonebwoy
King Promise

Best Music Video

Black Sherif – Konogo Zongo ——- winner
Stonebwoy – Therapy
Piesie Esther – Waye me yie
Stonebwoy – Gidigba
Sarkodie – Labadi ft King Promise
Kidi – Touch It remix ft Tyga
Scott Evans – Best Side
Kwabena Kwabena – Afraid to lose you

Producer of the Year

Mog Beatz ——— winner
Atown
Phantom
Shadrach Yawson
Guilty Beatz
Kill Beatz
Liquid Beatz
Samnsey

Audio Engineer of the Year

Chopz – Yaa Asantewaa
Qube – Beginning Again
Perez Muzik – Hewale lala
Supa Dups – Therapy
Possigee – Country Side
Altra Nova – Far Away ———– winner

Best Reggae/Dancehall Song

Konkara Jahvybz – A Go dey ft Kelvyn Boy
Ras Kuuku – 33N1
Epixode – Atia ——————— winner
Black Sherif – Don’t forget me
Rocky Dawuni – Never Bow Down ft Blvk H3ro
Maccasio – Eyes on You ft Stonebwoy

Best Afropop Song

Stonebwoy – Therapy ————- winner
Wendy Shay – Survivor
Black Sherif – Oil in my head
Dopenation – Gboza
King Promise – Ten toes ft Omah Lay
Kuami Eugene – Take away
Kidi – Blessed ft Movado
Fameye – Thank you

Best Afrobeats Song

Camidoh – Sugarcane rmx ft King Promise & Mayokun ——— winner
Gyakie – Something
Kidi – Champagne
Djay – Balance it
King Promise – Ginger
FBS – Jo ft King Promise

Best Highlife Song

Epixode – Atia ft Kwabena Kwabena
AK Songstress – My Proposal
Adina – Adi Dede
Kwesi Authur – Adom
Kelvyn Boy – Downflat ——— winner
Kofi Kinaata – Have Mercy

Best Hiplife Song

Lasmid – Friday Night ——- Winner
Medikal – Stubborn Academy
Jay Bahd – Anadwo
DJ Breezy – Abonten ft Kwesi Authur, Mugeez, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif & Smallgod
Amerado – Grace ft Lasmid
Kweku Flick – Ewiase

Since his emergence into the industry some few years ago, he has undeniably worked hard and put Ghana music on the map.

To crown his efforts, the organisers of the award scheme and audiences have chosen him as the best artiste for the year in review.

The suspense of the night was broken when Deputy Creative Arts Minister, Mark Okraku Mantey, made the announcement at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Center.

He beat stiff competition from Piesie Esther, Stonebwoy, Joe Mettle, Sarkodie, Camidoh, KiDi and King Promise to win the award.

This makes it the first time he has entered the record book and the 22nd artiste to be crowned.

Receiving his award, Black Sherif expressed gratitude to all who found him worthy.

Days prior he revealed he will celebrate his victory with the ‘ghettos and Rastas’. In view of this he sent them a special shout out for their contribution to his craft.

The Konongo Zongo-based artiste dedicated the award to his parents and community.

In the coming days, expect more from Sad Boy Blacko.