“Why is Azonto still not a genre of music?” – Gasmilla quizzes

Gasmilla has raised a question that has persisted around Ghana's most impactful musical movement: why is Azonto still not officially recognized as a genre of music within the nation that birthed it? The musician contends that Azonto has already demonstrated its potential to secure a spot among Ghana's recognized music genres, evolving from a local dance and musical trend into a sound that has garnered the attention of the international music industry.

Gasmilla recounted how MTV once included Azonto alongside highlife and hiplife in the list of Ghanaian genres presented for music video submissions, viewing this moment as significant as it highlighted the global community's acknowledgment of Azonto as a distinct musical category. He argued that while there may be ongoing debates in Ghana concerning Azonto's classification, the international community had already started treating it as a unique genre.

Gasmilla believes that Ghana's failure to formally define and recognize Azonto has had detrimental effects. He contends that without an established genre identity, it has become simpler for other sounds to derive heavily from Azonto without adequately acknowledging the connection to Ghana. "Because Azonto has not been made a genre of music, what is happening now is a lot of people are just biting off it.

If you look at Brazilian funk, it's basically Azonto. There are so many genres that I could mention here that were Azonto-inspired," he stated. His advocacy extends beyond merely assigning a label to a musical style; he perceives formal recognition as crucial for preserving Ghana's musical legacy while providing younger musicians with a solid foundation to build upon and further develop the sound.

Gasmilla cited Amapiano as an example, acknowledging its evolution from a South African musical style into a globally recognized sound with a clear identity that continues to progress. "Look at Amapiano. They're championing and flying the flags globally. The best thing we can do is make it a genre of music. What are you guys waiting for?

Just make it a genre of music. That way the younger ones coming can also add their two cents to make it bigger," he emphasized. For Gasmilla, Azonto should transcend being merely a nostalgic chapter in Ghana's music history or be solely remembered for the dance that once occupied the world stage.