Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Nigerian Afrogospel artist Gaise Baba, the voice behind the widely celebrated anthem “No Turning Back,” is demanding change from one of Africa’s most prestigious music awards. In a pointed open letter published on X, the veteran singer has called on The Headies to rethink how faith-based music is evaluated and recognized at the annual ceremony.
The crux of Gaise Baba’s argument cuts straight to the heart of genre classification in African music. Why, he asks, should a gospel rap song be confined to an “inspirational” category when its musical craftsmanship—the flow, the cadence, the production—matches or exceeds what’s competing in mainstream rap categories? His position is clear: subject matter shouldn’t dictate musical classification. A rap song is a rap song, whether it’s about money, relationships, or faith. The same logic, he argues, should apply to R&B, Afrobeats, and every other genre. Gospel artists deserve the opportunity to compete in mainstream categories when their music meets the artistic standards, not be automatically siloed into faith-based awards regardless of their sonic innovation.
Gaise Baba’s critique isn’t purely theoretical—it’s rooted in personal experience. At last year’s Headies, his collaboration with gospel legend Tope Alabi, “Particularly,” earned a nomination for Best Inspirational Single. His team showed up, participated in media rounds, attended the pre-show reception, and sat through the main ceremony. But when the moment came, the Inspirational Music category was never called. Despite the event running over five hours, several categories—including his—were simply skipped. For artists who invest time, resources, and emotion into these nominations, being denied even a moment of recognition on stage felt like a dismissal of their work’s value.
Despite his criticisms, Gaise Baba returns to The Headies 2026 with another nomination. His track “No Turning Back II” with Lawrence Oyor is up for Best Inspirational Single alongside Sunmisola Agbebi, Sinach, EmmaOMG, and Mercy Chinwo. The 18th edition of The Headies is set for October 25 in Toronto, Canada, featuring 35 categories. Whether the awards organizers will respond to Gaise Baba’s challenge remains to be seen, but his intervention has sparked an important conversation: should gospel music continue to exist in its own separate lane, or should excellence be recognized wherever it appears, regardless of the message? As African music continues its global ascent, how the industry answers this question could shape the future of faith-based artistry on the continent.
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