Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi Rejects Pay-to-Win Awards, Calls for Greater Transparency

Musician and Founding President of PanAfrica-Ghana (PAG) and PanAfrica-Ghana Musique Group, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, has criticised the practice of asking award nominees to pay money or sponsor award schemes to receive recognition.

According to him, awards should be a genuine reflection of talent, hard work and contribution to society rather than a transaction determined by the financial capacity of nominees.

In a statement addressing the issue, Ras Caleb described an award as a form of honour that traditionally recognises an individual’s service and contribution to the community.

He argued that, within African traditions, recognition was not treated as a commodity but as a symbol of appreciation from the community.

“In our African tradition, an award is not a commodity. It is a stool, a crown, a recognition from the community that says: ‘We have seen your work, we have seen your sacrifice, and we thank you,’” he stated.

He recalled that traditional figures, including warriors and cultural practitioners such as drummers, were honoured for their service and contribution rather than being required to purchase their recognition.

Ras Caleb said the development of pay-to-win practices within Ghana’s creative industry therefore raises serious questions about the credibility and integrity of contemporary award schemes.

The musician argued that the fundamental principle behind any credible award scheme should be meritocracy.

He explained that an award should communicate that a particular individual emerged as the best among equally talented nominees based on their work and impact during a given period.

However, he said requiring nominees to pay before receiving recognition changes the basis of the award.

“The moment you ask the nominee to pay money to receive the award, you change the formula,” he said.

According to him, the intended formula should be:

Work + Impact = Award

But when nominees are required to pay, he argued, the system effectively becomes:

Work + Money = Award

Ras Caleb said such a system risks favouring financially powerful artistes over talented but less financially endowed creatives.

He cited the example of a young Highlife musician in Cape Coast who may produce outstanding music but lack the financial backing to purchase tables or meet sponsorship demands, while another artiste with greater financial resources could potentially gain an advantage by paying.

“That is not an award. That is a sale,” he argued.

Ras Caleb also accused some award schemes of exploiting the desire of artistes to receive public recognition.

He noted that musicians already incur significant expenses in the course of their careers, including studio recording, instrumental production, music videos, promotion and transportation.

In his view, award schemes should provide artistes with additional visibility, validation and exposure rather than creating another financial burden.

He questioned practices where nominees are allegedly asked to pay for plaques and citations or purchase multiple tickets as a condition for participating in an awards programme.

“If you have been nominated, now pay GHS2,000 for your plaque and citation, or you must buy 10 tickets to qualify,” he said, describing such demands as a form of psychological exploitation.

He argued that nominees may feel pressured to find money to meet such requirements because they do not want to lose after being publicly nominated.

According to him, some artistes could even borrow money to meet these demands because of the fear of embarrassment or losing an opportunity for recognition.

“This is not empowerment. It is extortion,” he stated.

As the Founding President of PanAfrica-Ghana, Ras Caleb further linked the debate to what he described as African and Pan-African cultural values.

He said his organisation, which operates under the philosophy “LIVING AS ONE,” teaches young people that African culture, dignity and honour should not be treated as commodities.

He argued that commercialising awards could send the wrong message to young people by creating the impression that recognition can simply be purchased.

“When awards are bought, we teach the next generation that honour can be purchased. We teach them that you don’t need to work hard; you just need to pay hard,” he said.

Ras Caleb also invoked Ghana’s traditional systems of honour and leadership, questioning why modern recognition of Pan-African excellence should be treated differently.

He referenced historical and traditional figures including Okomfo Anokye and Queenmothers, arguing that their status and recognition were not based on purchasing titles.

“Okomfo Anokye did not sponsor his own reverence. The Queenmothers of our lands were enstooled by merit,” he said.

While criticising compulsory financial contributions from nominees, Ras Caleb clarified that he does not oppose sponsorship of award schemes.

He acknowledged that organising major awards events requires substantial financial resources for venues, lighting, sound, production and broadcasting.

However, he believes those costs should primarily be covered through corporate institutions, businesses, media partners and individuals who genuinely want to support the creative and cultural industries.

“The right model is: companies and brands sponsor the event; the media partners promote it; the nominees are celebrated for free; and the public votes or the academy judges,” he proposed.

He distinguished between voluntary support from a winner and compulsory payment required from a nominee.

According to him, an artiste who voluntarily decides to support an award scheme after winning may be expressing gratitude to the organisers. However, he said requiring payment before an award is received changes the relationship from recognition to transaction.

“If a nominee, out of love, voluntarily decides to support the scheme after winning, that is gratitude. If he is required to pay before winning, that is a transaction,” he stated.

Ras Caleb has consequently proposed several reforms aimed at improving the credibility of Ghanaian music awards.

First, he called for greater transparency from award organisers.

He said organisers should disclose their revenue and funding models and clearly explain how their events are financed.

He added that if nominees are expected to make any financial contribution, the requirement should be communicated before nominations are opened rather than being introduced after artistes have already been nominated.

He also called for free nominations and free awards, arguing that the act of being nominated and receiving the award itself should not come with compulsory charges.

Where awards events include dinners or ticketed programmes, he suggested that tickets should be sold to the general public rather than imposed on nominees as a condition for participation.

His third proposal is the creation of an Artist Support Fund by award organisers.

Rather than collecting money from nominees, he suggested that award schemes should establish funds that directly benefit winners through support such as studio recording opportunities, promotional assistance or small grants.

Ras Caleb said Ghana’s award industry must change if local awards are to achieve the level of credibility associated with internationally recognised award institutions.

He argued that Ghanaian music awards should strive for systems in which excellence, impact and contribution remain the primary determinants of recognition.

He maintained that the central purpose of an award should be to honour an artiste rather than place a price tag on that honour.

“An award must remain what it was in our villages: a free, honest, community thank-you. If you have to buy it, it is not an honour. It is a purchase. And you cannot purchase respect,” he stated.

Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi signed off the statement with the Pan-African expression “ABIBITUMI! ABIBIFAHODIE!”

He identified himself as Musician and Founding President, PanAfrica-Ghana (PAG) / PanAfrica-Ghana Musique Group.