3Music Awards 2022: KiDi edges Black Sherif to win top honour

The awards show, which took place at the Grand Arena in Accra, Ghana, at the weekend, saw the ‘Touch It’ hitmaker sweep five other awards, making him this year’s biggest winner. The fast-rising Black Sherif, whose name had also dominated discussions around the awards and was widely tipped to win the topmost prize, managed wins in four categories.

The awards ceremony did not commence until a few minutes before the morning of Sunday 27 March, with the organisers citing technical problems. However, a strong opening performance in which Black Sherif invoked fire and rain seemed to placate patrons, who had been muttering their frustrations for several hours.

Black Sherif’s performance started with a live rendition of the unreleased ‘Kweku the Traveller’, which is set for release this week, and climaxed with the Burna Boy-assisted remix of ‘Second Sermon’.

For his part, KiDi joined Akwaboah, Cina Soul, Camidoh and Kelvyn Boy for a colourful medley of top Ghanaian hits making their rounds at the moment. Other notable performances on the night came from Emerging Woman of the Year Award winner Mona 4Real, gospel singers Joe Mettle and Ohemaa Mercy, and rappers Kweku Darlington and Kwame Yogot. Kuami Eugene delivered a tribute to late highlife great Nana Ampadu, who died in September.

KiDi and Black Sherif have been behind some of the most outstanding moments in Ghanaian music over the past year. KiDi’s ‘Touch It’, which was recently updated with a fresh verse from US rapper Tyga, has been streamed more than 36 million times on Spotify alone. Black Sherif’s ‘Second Sermon’ and ‘First Sermon’ were the two fastest rising songs to reach 1 million streams on Boomplay last year. Both artists also recently sealed deals with American distribution company and record label EMPIRE.

Both artists made the most trips to the podium on the night, quickly bringing into focus a narrative that had dominated discussions leading up to the awards: this was a KiDi-Black Sherif showdown.

By the time the show closed in the early hours of Sunday, KiDi was on top, winning the topmost prize for a historic second time in a row, along with the Album of the Year, Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance, Digital Act of the Year and Afrobeats/Afropop Act of the Year awards. When he went up to receive his final award, KiDi invited his rival to join him, but Black Sherif had already left the venue after winning the Hiplife/Hip Hop Act of the Year, Breakthrough Act of the Year, Hip Hop Song of the Year and Song of the Year awards.

“Thank you to the entire 3Music Awards,” KiDi tweeted hours later. “Thank you to the family, friends and fans! My entire team!!! The media support has been crazy! I’m just so humbled by this. Thank you, Ghana.”

Elsewhere, Wizkid and Tems’ ‘Essence Remix’ featuring Canadian singer Justin Beiber won the African Song of the Year Award, while Sarkodie was victorious in the Video of the Year category for ‘Rollies and Cigars’.

Below is the full list of winners:

Afrobeats/Afropop Song of the Year

• ‘Available’ – Camidoh ft. Eugy
• ‘Enjoyment Minister’ – D-Black ft. Quamina MP and Stonebwoy
• ‘Je M’apelle’ – Darkovibes ft. Davido
• ‘Praise’ – Fameye
• ‘Dollar on You’ – Kuami Eugene
• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise
• ‘Baajo’ – Kwesi Arthur
• ‘Mood’ – Mr Drew
• ‘E Choke’ – S3fa ft. Mr Drew
• ‘Activate’ – Stonebwoy & Davido

Afrobeats/ Afropop Artist of the Year

• KiDi
• Darkovibes
• Gyakie
• King Promise
• Kelvyn Boy
• Mr Drew
• S3fa
• Wendy Shay

Album of the Year

• The Angel You Don’t Know – Amaarae
• Loyalty – D-Black
• The Experience – Joe Mettle
• The Golden Boy – KiDi
• Inveencible – MzvVee
• Same Earth Different Worlds – Omar Sterling
• Logos II – Pappy Kojo
• No Pressure – Sarkodie

Artist of the Year

• Black Sherif
• Celestine Donkor
• D-Black
• KiDi
• Kuami Eugene
• Mr Drew
• Sarkodie
• Stonebwoy
• Gyakie

African Song of the Year

• ‘Bloody Samaritan’ – Ayra Starr
• ‘Running’ – Chiké and Simi
• ‘Peru’ – Fireboy DML
• ‘Ke Star (remix)’ – Focalistic ft. Davido
• ‘Alcohol (Sip)’ – Joeboy
• ‘Feeling’ – Ladipoe ft. Buju
• ‘Monalisa’ – Lojay & Sarz
• ‘Somebody’s Son’ – Tiwa Savage ft. Brandy
• ‘Essence (remix)’ – Wizkid ft. Tems and Justin Bieber

Best Alternative Song of the Year

• ‘Sad Girls Luv Money – Amaarae ft. Moliy
• ‘Ntro Naa’ – Akwaboah
• ‘Brothers Fight’ – Chris Adjei
• ‘OMG’ – Cina Soul
• ‘Black Tears’ – Khalifina
• ‘Deja Vu’ – Moliy
• ‘Mensesa Me Ho’ – Pure Akan
• ‘Libilibi’ – Worlasi ft. Drvmroll

Best Collaboration of the Year

• ‘Enjoyment Minister’ – D-Black ft. Quamina MP and Stonebwoy
• ‘Je M’apelle’ – Darkovibes ft. Davido
• ‘Ekorso’ – Kofi Jamar ft. Yaw Tog and Ypee
• ‘Biibi Besi’ – Kwame Yogot ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Sika Aba Fie’ – Kweku Darlington ft. Kweku Flick and Yaw Tog
• ‘This Year’ – Mr Drew ft. Medikal
• ‘Yeeko’ – Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘E Choke’ – S3fa ft. Mr Drew
• ‘Happy Day’ – Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Activate’ – Stonebwoy ft. Davido

Best Female Vocal Performance

• ‘Goodbye’ – Asi Renie
• ‘Overflow’ – Efe Grace
• ‘Odi Yompo’ – Empress Gifty
• ‘No More’ – Enam
• ‘The Glory’ – Obaapa Christy
• ‘Coming Home’ – MzVee
• ‘Jesus’ – Queendalyn Yurglee

Best Male Vocal Performance

• ‘Available (remix) – Camidoh
• ‘Brother’s Fight’ – Chris Adjei
• ‘Ye Obua Mi’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Mon Bebe’ – KiDi
• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise
• ‘Nyame Tease’ – Kofi Owusu Peprah
• ‘Mala’ – Luigi Maclean

Breakthrough Act of the Year

• Abochi
• Black Sherif
• Kwame Yogot
• Kweku Darlington
• Mona 4Reall
• Malcolm Nuna
• Nanky
• Scott Evans

Digital Act of the Year

• Camidoh
• Empress Gifty
• KiDi
• Mr Drew
• S3fa
• Sarkodie
• Shatta Wale
• Stonebwoy

DJ of the Year

• DJ Aroma
• DJ Bridash
• DJ Faculty
• DJ JayJay
• DJ Mingle
• DJ Vyrusky
• DJ Xpliph
• Mr Shark

Emerging Woman of the Year

• Abi Ima
• Darkua
• Joa
• Lizzy Ntiamoah
• Mona 4Reall
• Moliy
• Niiella
• Queendalyn
• Titi Owusu

EP of the Year

• Patience – Amerado
• For Times We Lost – Cina Soul
• Bitter Sweet – Herman $uede
• Pop – Kofi Karkari
• Apetite For Destruction – Kofi Jamar
• VIbes – Lyrical Joe
• The Tape – Strongman
• Time – Yaw Tog

Fan Army of the Year

• AMG Beyond Kontrol
• BHIM Nation
• Die-hard Fans of Lumba
• High-grade Family
• Sark Nation
• Shatta Movement.
• Team DH
• Team Move

Gospel Act of the Year

• Akesse Brempong
• Celestine Donkor
• Diana Hamilton
• Efe Grace
• Empress Gifty
• Joe Mettle
• Obaapa Christy
• Ohemaa Mercy

Gospel Song of the Year

• ‘Yahweh’ – Akesse Brempong
• ‘Only You’ – Celestine Donkor
• ‘Awurade Ye (Do It, Lord)’ – Diana Hamilton
• ‘Ye Obua Mi’ – Joe Mettle
• ‘Oluwa Is Involved’ – Joyce Blessing
• ‘He Lives In Me’ (Ote Me Mu) – Ohemaa Mercy ft. MOG Music
• ‘The Glory’ – Obaapa Christy
• ‘Wa Sore’ – Patience Nyarko

Group of the Year

• Bethel Revival Choir
• Dope Nation
• Keche
• R2bees

Highlife Song of the Year

• ‘Yard’ – Bisa Dei
• ‘Feelings’ – Cina Soul ft. KiDi
• ‘Playboy’ – Dada Hafco ft. Akwaboah
• ‘Watch Nobody’ Kelvyn Boy ft. Gyedu Blay Ambolley
• ‘Thy Grace (Part 1)’ – Kofi Kinaata
• ‘Kwadede’ – Kwabena Kwabena
• ‘Fo’ – Mr Drew ft. Kwabena Kwabena
• ‘Christ’ – Roy X Taylor

Highlife Act of the Year

• Akwaboah
• Cina Soul
• Fameye
• Kofi Kinaata
• Kwabena Kwabena
• Kuami Eugene

Hip Hop Song of the Year

• Black Sherif – First Sermon
• Black Sherif – Second Sermon
• Jay Bahd x City Boy x O’kenneth x Reggie x Kwaku DMC – Condemn
• Joey B – Akobam
• Kofi Jamar – Ekorso ft. Yaw Tog & Ypee
• Kweku Darlington – Sika Aba Fie ft. Kweku Flick & Yaw Tog.
• Okyeame Kwame – Yeeko ft. Kuami Eugene
• Sarkodie – Rollies & Cigar
• Wendy Shay – Heat

Hiplife Song of the Year

• Amerado – Abotr3 ft. Black Sherif
• Captain Planet (4×4) – Abodie ft. Kuami Eugene
• Kelvyn Boy – Visa (Remix) ft. Joey B & Kwesi Arthur
• Kofi Kinaata – Thy Grace (Part 2)
• Kweku Darlington – Sika Kankan
• Mr Drew – This Year ft. Medikal
• Sarkodie – Coachella ft. Kwesi Arthur
• Sarkodie – Happy Day ft Kuami Eugene

Hiplife/Hip Hop Act of the Year

• Amerado
• Black Sherif
• D-Black
• Kofi Jamar
• Kweku Darlington
• Medikal
• Sarkodie

Performer of the Year

• Akwaboah – Ghana Most Beautiful
• Efe Grace – 3Music Women’s Brunch Performance
• Eno – VGMA Performance
• Epixode – VGMA Experience
• KiDi – Live Connect With KiDi
• Mr Drew – VGMA Performance
• Ohemaa Mercy – Tehillah
• Stonebwoy – Anloga Junction @ 1

Producer of the Year

• Kaywa
• Killbeatz
• Kuami Eugene (Rockstar Made it)
• Master Garzy
• Mog Beatz
• Ronyturnmeup
• Streetbeatz
• Willisbeatz

Rapper of the Year

• Amerado – ‘Best Rapper’
• Eno Barony – ‘God Is A Woman’ ft. Efya
• Joe Kay – ‘Hayaye’
• Joey B – ‘Cold’
• Lyrical Joe – ‘5th August’
• Medikal – ‘Stop It’
• Sarkodie – ‘Rollies N Cigars’
• Strongman – ‘Flawless’

Reggae/Dancehall Act of the Year

• Epixode
• Knii Lante
• Samini
• Shatta Wale
• Stonebwoy

Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year

• ‘Star Life’ – Jupitar ft. Shatta Wale
• ‘Touch it’ – KiDi
• ‘Picture’ – Samini ft. Efya
• ‘1Don’ – Shatta Wale
• ‘1Gad’ – Stonebwoy
• ‘Blessings’ – Stonebwoy ft. Vic Mensa

Song of the Year

• Black Sherif – Second Sermon
• KiDi – Touch It
• Kwame Yogot – Biibi Bbesi ft. Kuami Eugene
• Kweku Darlington – Sika Aba Fie ft. Kweku Flick & Yaw Tog
• Kofi Jamar – Ekorso ft. Yaw Tog & Ypee
• Mr Drew – This Year ft Medikal
• Okyeame Kwame – Yeeko ft. Kuami Eugene
• S3fa – E choke ft. Mr Drew
• Sarkodie – Happy Day ft. Kuami Eugene
• Stonebwoy ft. Davido – Activate

Video of the Year

• ‘Favour’ – Edem ft. Sarkodie and Efya
• ‘Odeshi’ – Epixode
• ‘Cold’ – Joey B
• ‘Spiritual’ – KiDi ft. Kuami Eugene, Patoranking
• ‘Slow Down’ – King Promise
• ‘Love Locked Down’ – Okyeame Kwame ft. Adina Thembi
• ‘Rollies and Cigars’ – Sarkodie
• ‘Goddess’ – Tiisha

Viral Song of the Year

• ‘Second Sermon’ – Black Sherif
• ‘Touch It’ – KiDi
• ‘Ekorso’ – Ekorso ft. Yaw Tog and Ypee
• ‘Yeeko – Okyeame Kwame ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Na Today’ – Okese 1
• ‘E Choke’ – S3fa ft. Mr. Drew
• ‘Happy Day’ – Sarkodie ft. Kuami Eugene
• ‘Heat’ – Wendy Shay

Woman of the Year

• Adina
• Amaarae
• Celestine Donkor
• Diana Hamilton
• Gyakie
• Mona 4Reall
• Ohemaa mercy
• S3fa
• Wendy Shay