By Charles Mgbolu
Multi-award-winning Tanzanian musician Diamond Platnumz has shed light on why he has shunned featuring in many music awards from his home country.
Diamond Platnumz, while speaking in a wide-ranging interview at a press briefing, recently said he distanced himself from most awards because he was sceptical of their credibility.
‘’Do you know why I wouldn’t have wanted to be involved? Because the awards were managed in a way that was not fair,’’ the 34-year-old Mapoz crooner said.
His absence from local music awards was particularly noticeable in 2023, when he won Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
He beat music heavyweights across the continent, such as Burna Boy and Asake from Nigeria and South African DJ Tyler ICU.
But back home in Tanzania, he was not featured in most local awards for best male artist.
Diamond also said that he distanced himself from local awards because of the problem of artist control.
‘’You know I do not want awards out of sympathy; when I deserve it, give it to me, when I don't, then deny me. Most of the time, the organising committee wants to control you. At my age, I can’t do that,’’ he said at the press conference.
Awards organisers in Tanzania deny claims of impartiality, saying awards are given to artists who have applied and presented their materials to be screened by a jury panel.
Critics of Diamond have accused him of being an artist who struggles to play by the rules.
Last year, he was banned by Tanzania’s music regulatory board, Baraza la Sanaa la Taifa (BASATA), from performing any shows or organising any concerts in Tanzania.
BASATA announced the ban after the Diamond performed “Mwanza” in Tanzania. Mwanza was released in 2018 and outlawed by authorities for its highly explicit content.
Diamond's team told fans on social media at the time that efforts were being made to resolve the ban and put all of Diamond's shows back on schedule.
Diamond says his music goals have gone beyond clutching local awards, as he has his eyes set on claiming the global music stage for Tanzanian music.
He also took a swipe at Nigerian show promoters, whom he says underestimate him as an artist.
“Nigerians have a habit of underestimating you, even though they know your power. So when a show comes up, I say I want this much. If you don’t want to, I won't go. That’s it. Short and clear.’’
Conversations around Diamond’s absence at local awards have reared up, especially as the music awards season for 2024 fast approaches.
Nominees for major music awards events across the continent are scheduled to be announced before the middle of the year, and music fans in Tanzania hope Diamond Platnumz will be on the nominees list, getting all the awards that he truly deserves.
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