Kenya has set an ambitious goal of bringing the Grammy Awards to the country, marking a historic first for the US-based music awards.
Describing the task as a significant challenge would be an understatement. According to our research, the Grammy Awards have never been held outside the United States since their inception in 1959. However, President William Ruto has stated that Kenya will be the first to host them. During a town hall meeting on Monday night, Ruto revealed that Kenya had already paid Ksh500 million to the Recording Academy in the United States to bring the awards to the country.
“We already paid Ksh500 million for the Grammys,” Ruto revealed at the town hall on loans and job creation held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The Grammy Awards, often referred to as the Grammys, are prestigious accolades presented annually by the Recording Academy in the United States, recognizing outstanding achievements in the music industry across various genres and categories.
Although the awards have never been held outside the US, the Recording Academy has organized international Grammy-related events, such as Grammy Museum exhibitions, special performances, and cultural outreach programs in countries including China, Germany, and the United Kingdom. At the same event, Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects in the Executive Office of the President, mentioned that President Ruto would meet with a representative of the Recording Academy to finalize the details of the deal.
If successful, Kenya would host global music stars like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Adele, Kanye West, and others. This could significantly boost the country’s appeal as a tourist destination while unlocking the potential of its creative economy.
In December of last year, Ruto announced that, starting in January this year, the Grammy Awards would begin shooting multiple movies in Kenya.