Grammy Awards Deny Receiving KSh 500 Million from Kenyan Government

The organisers of the Grammy Awards have denied claims of receiving funds from the Kenyan government amid reports of hosting the 2025 ceremony in Kenya.

This clarification comes in the wake of President William Ruto’s statement asserting that the government had paid KSh 500 million to bid for the prestigious event.

Why Does Kenya Want to Host the Grammy Awards?

President Ruto recently emphasized that hosting the Grammys would position Kenya as a global entertainment hub. Speaking at a public event, he stated:

“We already paid. We are not about to pay. We already paid KSh 500 million, and I am sure the gentleman from Grammys can confirm that.”

However, an email attributed to the Recording Academy, the organisation behind the Grammys, has refuted these claims.

Grammys Deny Taking Government Funds

The email clarified that the 2025 Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, as per tradition. The message further reiterated that the Grammys do not accept financial contributions from foreign governments:

“Thank you for reaching out. The 2025 Grammys will take place on February 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. We are a non-profit organisation. We don’t take money from foreign governments. Best regards, Recording Academy Membership Department.”

The denial has cast doubt on the Kenyan government’s claims, sparking concerns about the transparency of the bidding process.

Public Reactions

The news stirred widespread reactions online, with many questioning the credibility of the government’s statements:

• thischicboke: “So, who was sent the money? We need answers.”
• ibada_ahmed:
  “Any country in the world can host Grammy-related events but NOT the actual GRAMMYS. The Grammy Awards in its entire history have NEVER been hosted outside of the U.S.A., except the Latin Grammy Awards (occasionally). Secondly, a significant amount of their funding comes from foundations which channel it through other foundations to support music education, music research, and support for struggling artists, amongst other things. KENYA OR even Europe CANNOT host the main Grammys.”
• pilot_mike_makau: “We are just being taken for a ride as a country.”
• bigman_bazuu001: “I blame the people who believed.”

The controversy continues to raise eyebrows as Kenyans demand clarity on where the alleged KSh 500 million was directed.