Are Afro-Latinos Being Overlooked at Music Awards Ceremonies?

In previous years, the Latin Grammys have created quite a bit of controversy as to whether or not reggaeton has had the representation or prominence that many feel it should have in this award ceremony. This debate has gone viral ever since those who are raising their voices, or have posted on their Instagram and Twitter accounts, are recognized artists such as Daddy Yankee, J Balvin or Residente (former member of the band Calle 13). 

However, there is a much deeper issue embedded in these and other award ceremonies, and it revolves around the fact that while these genres, which have their roots in African rhythms brought by slaves to Latin America, Afro-Latinos are not among the winners. In fact, late last year, there was a stir because J Balvin was elected “Best Afro-Latino Artist” by the African Entertainment Awards USA, even though he’s a white Latino. 

The outrage grew even stronger when some people pointed out that in his music video for “Perra,”feat. Tokischa you could see Afro-Latinas being walked like dogs on leashes by Balvin. After YouTube removed the video, a new version appeared without those images, but they were already imprinted in the memory of those who felt the video was offensive. 

The President of the African Entertainment Awards USA, Dominic Tamin, stated that the Afro-Latino category was created to recognize “people who contributed to Afro-culture. It’s not based on your race. It’s based on the contribution to African culture.” When explaining why J Balvin was awarded, he added: “Yes, you can be Black Latino and be nominated, and you can also be a white Latino and be nominated, just like we have Black and white Africans. That’s how we see it.” Promptly afterwards, the name of the category was changed to “Best Latin Artist,” which was seen by many as proof of whitewashing in the music industry. 

Objections from the Afro-Latino community state that those who achieve visibility and find fame in reggaeton music are white or light-skinned people, who appropriate the rhythms, expressions, and clothing of Afro-descendants. However, that isn’t always the case, as many Afro-Latinos such as Sech, Ozuna and Cardi B have earned their space in the genre. And other musicians, such as Amara La Negra and Los Rakas, are beginning to transcend into the mainstream as well.

Despite that, when you check the list of nominees for the Latin Grammy Awards, you won’t find a single Afro-Latino in any of the main categories, such as Record of the year, Album of the Year, or Song of the Year. You will see white Latinos performing genres that have African roots, which is at the base of most of Latin music.  What do you think about this controversy?