Kingzkid Hails Joe Kay’s TGMA Rap Nomination as Milestone for Urban Gospel
Ghanaian urban gospel artiste Kingzkid has praised fellow musician Joe Kay for earning a nomination in the Best Rap Performance category at the 27th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards, describing it as a major breakthrough for urban gospel music in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview on Highway 10.19 on ZED FM, Kingzkid said Joe Kay’s nomination represented years of dedication and persistence within the music industry.
“I was excited for Joe because he’s also been one of the people who has been doing it for a while,” Kingzkid said. “I remember the first time he came to see me around 2013 or 2014, and since then he has been at it. He has gone head-to-head with some of the people on the other side and he has kept working.”
Joe Kay was nominated alongside some of Ghana’s top rap acts, including Strongman, Kojo Cue, Lyrical Joe, Medikal and Sarkodie.
According to Kingzkid, the nomination was not only a personal achievement for Joe Kay but also a significant moment for urban gospel musicians striving for mainstream recognition.
“The nomination was a good look for him and also for people who are pushing that style of music,” he stated. “The next thing is for us to be able to carry those awards. I’m looking forward to an urban gospel artiste winning Rap Artiste of the Year, Rap Song of the Year and even Artiste of the Year.”
He stressed that urban gospel musicians should not limit themselves to gospel-specific categories but should aim for recognition across the broader music industry.
“It’s an award scheme that rates the entire entertainment industry, so if you are nominated there, it means you are rubbing shoulders with everybody on that platform,” he explained.
Kingzkid, however, expressed concern that more attention was not given to Joe Kay’s nomination and what it represented for the urban gospel movement.
“There should have been more noise about what he represents and how important it is for him to be there,” he said. “A lot of people probably asked who he was, but this was an opportunity to highlight his work and what urban gospel stands for.”
He added that both award organisers and the urban gospel community had a responsibility to amplify the significance of the nomination.
Despite his concerns, Kingzkid maintained that the recognition itself remained a major victory.
“It’s still a win,” he said. “The good thing about nominations is that people become curious, they go and research the artiste, and then they get to know who he really is.”
