The 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) on May 10, 2025, was a night of glitz, fire performances, and some serious wins at the Grand Arena in Accra. But let’s talk about the real gist: the nominees who walked away empty-handed, the rumors about why they didn’t win, and the fan uproar that’s still shaking X and beyond. If you thought the awards were just about the trophies, buckle up—this is where the drama lives.

The Big Nominees Who Missed Out

The TGMA 2025 nominee list was stacked, with heavyweights like Stonebwoy, King Promise, Black Sherif, and Joe Mettle battling it out. But not everyone got to hold that shiny award. Here are the big names who got nominated but didn’t win in key categories, based on what’s out there:

• Black Sherif (Artiste of the Year, Telecel Most [Most Popular Song, Collaboration of the Year): Blacko was a fan favorite for Artiste of the Year, with his track January 9 and Lomo Lomo with KiDi also in the running. Despite the hype, he didn’t take home any awards.
• Sarkodie (Collaboration of the Year, Best Rap Performance): The rap god was up for Amen with Beeztrap KOTM and Best Rap Performance but left with nothing. Fans were heated.
• Kweku Smoke (Artiste of the Year, Best Hip-Hop Song): Nominated for Artiste of the Year and Holy Ghost (which won Best Hip-Hop Song), Kweku Smoke still didn’t snag the top prize.
• Team Eternity Ghana (Artiste of the Year, Telecel Most Popular Song): With a record-breaking eight nominations, including Artiste of the Year and Defe Defe for Most Popular Song, they only won Songwriter of the Year.
• Diana Hamilton (Best Gospel Artiste, International Collaboration): Nominated for Best Gospel Artiste and Doing of the Lord with Mercy Chinwo, Diana didn’t win either, despite her gospel clout.
• Piesie Esther, MOG Music (Best Gospel Artiste): Both gospel heavyweights were up against Joe Mettle for Best Gospel Artiste but lost out.
• Lasmid (Telecel Most Popular Song): His track Puul was a banger, but it didn’t clinch Most Popular Song.
• Fameye (Telecel Most Popular Song): Very Soon had fans hyped, but it missed the Most Popular Song award.
• Kwesi Arthur (Best Rap Performance): Nominated for Best Rap Performance, Kwesi Arthur didn’t make the cut.

Rumors: Why Didn’t They Win?

The TGMA board doesn’t spill the tea on why certain artists lose, so the streets are buzzing with speculation. Here’s what’s being whispered on X and in the blogs:

• Black Sherif’s Snub: Fans are screaming “robbery” over Black Sherif’s shutout. Some say King Promise’s mainstream dominance and Paris’s global reach gave him the edge forмена

System: the Artiste of the Year nod. Rumors are the board favored King Promise’s broader appeal and consistent hits over Black Sherif’s raw, street vibe. One X post fumed, “TGMA slept on Blacko’s impact. January 9 was everywhere!” Others hint at politics—alleged favoritism toward artists with stronger industry ties. No hard proof, but the chatter’s loud.

• Sarkodie’s Drought: Sarkodie’s been a TGMA staple, but no wins this year? Some blogs suggest voter fatigue—his long reign might’ve made the board lean toward fresher faces like King Paluta or Beeztrap KOTM. Others whisper his Amen collab wasn’t as impactful as KiDi’s Lomo Lomo. X users aren’t buying it: “Sarkodie robbed again. TGMA board dey play!”
• Team Eternity’s Near-Miss: With eight noms, Team Eternity was expected to sweep, but only nabbed Songwriter of the Year. Rumors point to Joe Mettle’s gospel dominance and deeper industry roots as the clincher for Best Gospel Artiste. Some say their Defe Defe lost Most Popular Song due to less radio play compared to King Promise’s Paris. Fans cried foul, with one X post saying, “8 noms, 1 win? TGMA did Team Eternity dirty!”
• Gospel Category Drama: Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, and MOG Music lost to Joe Mettle, and rumors swirl it’s about star power. Joe’s consistent wins (he’s bagged Gospel Artiste multiple times) and his vocal performance nod might’ve swayed voters. Some speculate the board prioritizes “technicality” over popularity, which hurt Diana’s Doing of the Lord. No tea, just vibes, but fans aren’t happy.
• Lasmid and Fameye’s Fade: Puul and Very Soon were street anthems, but neither won Most Popular Song. Blogs hint King Promise’s Paris had more streaming numbers and global buzz, outshining them. There’s also talk of vote-splitting—too many strong contenders diluted the fan vote. X posts were savage: “Lasmid’s Puul snubbed? TGMA no dey see road!”

No official word from Charterhouse, so these are just rumors. The TGMA’s judging mixes popularity, technicality, and board votes, but the lack of transparency fuels the gossip.

Fan Reactions: The Internet Is Loud

Ghana’s music fans don’t hold back, and X is a warzone of reactions. Here’s what they’re saying:

• Black Sherif: Fans are gutted. “Blacko deserved Artiste of the Year. January 9 was a movement, not just a song!” one user posted. Another said, “TGMA board dey hate on Black Sherif. He’s too real for them.” Some are calling for a boycott, claiming the awards are “rigged.”
• Sarkodie: The SarkNation is in shambles. “How Sarkodie no win anything? Legend for nothing? TGMA be joke,” one fan raged. Others pointed out his consistent snubs: “Every year, same story. Sark deserves better!”
• Team Eternity: Gospel fans are salty. “Team Eternity with 8 noms and only Songwriter? That’s a slap!” one X user wrote. Another added, “Joe Mettle is great, but TGMA ignored Team Eternity’s wave. Defe Defe was huge!” Some praised their grace, though: “Team Eternity still giving thanks to God. True winners.”
• Diana, Piesie, MOG: Gospel stans are split. Some respect Joe Mettle’s win, but others feel cheated. “Diana Hamilton’s Doing of the Lord was a banger. How she no win?” one fan asked. Another said, “Piesie Esther deserved Gospel Artiste. TGMA dey play favorites!”
• Lasmid and Fameye: Street fans are vexed. “Puul was everywhere, and TGMA ignored it? Trash!” one X post read. Fameye’s fans echoed the sentiment: “Very Soon was a vibe, but TGMA no rate am. Fans dey feel cheated!”
• Kwesi Arthur and Kweku Smoke: Both got love but less noise. “Kwesi Arthur’s rap game is fire, but TGMA slept on him,” one fan noted. For Kweku Smoke, a user said, “He won Best Hip-Hop Song, but Artiste of the Year snub? Come on, TGMA!”

The vibe on X is a mix of anger, disappointment, and some resignation. Fans are already hyping their faves for 2026, with posts like, “Black Sherif go come back harder next year!” and “Sarkodie no go give up. TGMA go hear am!”

What’s the Big Picture?

The TGMA 2025 showed Ghana’s music scene is vibrant but messy. The snubs sparked debates about fairness, transparency, and what “excellence” really means. Is it streams? Impact? Industry clout? Fans want answers, but the board’s staying mute, leaving room for rumors to run wild. One thing’s clear: the passion for Ghanaian music is unmatched, and these artists—win or lose—are keeping the culture lit.

What’s your take? Who got robbed, and why do you think they lost? Hit the comments and let’s chop this gist! 🇬🇭🎶

Sources: Ghanaweb.com, Adomonline.com, Ghanamusicawards.com, Myjoyonline.com, and posts on X.