MY TALENT HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED | AMERADO FIRES TGMA

The Governor of Ghanaian rap didn’t hold a press conference. He didn’t post a rant on X. He did what he does best: he made a song. And Ghana is listening.

When Amerado is frustrated, he doesn’t argue on social media. He doesn’t grant tearful interviews. He channels every ounce of that pain, that fire, and that righteous anger into his greatest weapon — his pen.

And that’s exactly what happened after the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards. Ghanaian rapper, Amerado, has voiced his disappointment over being overlooked in some categories at the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards through a newly released song that is already sparking conversations online.

But this is not a simple “disgruntled artist” story. This is a story about consistency going unrecognized, about talent being measured by trophies, and about one of Ghana’s most gifted wordsmiths refusing to stay silent when he believes the system has failed him.

This is Amerado’s story, and it’s one every Ghanaian music fan needs to hear in full.

Before we break down the new song and the TGMA controversy, let’s establish exactly who we’re talking about, because Amerado is no ordinary rapper throwing a tantrum. Derrick Sarfo Kantanka, born February 14, 1995, and best known as Amerado, is a Ghanaian rapper and singer from Kumasi. His stage name, Amerado, which means “Governor” in Akan, was chosen to assert his command of the music scene.

He is the curator of *Yeete Nsem*, Ghana’s first newscasting rap series. Derrick Kantanka was born and raised in Ejisu, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. After placing third at the Solid FM Freestyle Show in 2015, Amerado caught the attention of music producer, sound engineer, and A&R Azee Ntwene, who signed the rapper to his label MicBurnerz Music.

The journey wasn’t easy. In 2019, while in the UK, Amerado found himself in a state of dilemma, struggling with depression, and eventually made the pivotal choice to return to Ghana to pursue his music career. The rapper had already endured the loss of his grandfather on December 14, 2009, and his father on January 27, 2010, and had to face new adversities and fight a formidable battle.

That context matters because when Amerado speaks about being overlooked, it comes from a man who has sacrificed everything for his music.

In 2022, Amerado clinched the Rapper of the Year and EP of the Year titles at the 5th 3Music Awards, followed by the Best Rap Performance award at the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards for his track “Obiaa Boa.”

His achievements extend to the Ghana Music Awards France, where he secured the Hiphop Song of the Year and Rapper of the Year titles in 2022, notably for “Abotre,” his collaboration with Black Sherif. Amerado is the first rapper from Kumasi to win the Best Rapper award at both the Ghana Music Awards and the 3Music Awards.

On 4 December 2024, he became the third Ghanaian artist to receive a certification plaque from Audiomack for hitting the 100 million streams milestone. On October 1, 2020, Reggie Rockstone, a significant figure in the Ghanaian music genre hiplife, described Amerado as one of the most talented rappers to emerge from Ghana.

In August 2021, Amerado had a freestyle and interview session with Tim Westwood on Capital Xtra in London, and GRM Daily reported his freestyle session as one of the best on the show.

The biggest night in Ghanaian music returned in style as the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA 2026) lit up the stage, celebrating the artists, songs, and producers who dominated the year. 6 Among the Artist of the Year nominees were Amerado — *Pharaoh*, Black Sherif, Medikal, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay, Sarkodie, and Diana Hamilton.

However, despite securing a nomination, Amerado voiced his disappointment over being overlooked in some categories at the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards. In the emotional track, the rapper reflected on what he described as years of hard work and dedication to the music industry, while suggesting that his efforts and talent continue to be underrated despite his consistency and lyrical ability.

Amerado appeared visibly frustrated at times in the song as he questioned why his contribution to Ghanaian rap music has not translated into greater recognition in awards. He hinted that his talent has been “downgraded,” a phrase that quickly began trending among music lovers on social media after snippets of the song surfaced online.

That single phrase, “My talent has been downgraded”, became the headline of Ghana’s music conversation overnight.

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

Follow us on Facebook to stay Connected

Join Our WhatsApp Group

For music uploads, promotions, and distribution inquiries, kindly contact 3musicGh via call or WhatsApp on +233 24 812 8217.

Our team is readily available to assist you with getting your music heard by the right audience.

DISCOVER & DOWNLOAD MORE SONGS BELOW