Gasmilla urges formal recognition of Azonto as a music genre
Originally reported by 3News (Whitney De-graft)
Musician Gasmilla has raised questions about why Azonto, a style that has spread worldwide, has not yet been formally recognised as a music genre. He argues that its distinctive sound, dance moves and evolution already place it on the global music map.
Gasmilla referred to MTV’s earlier classification of music videos, which listed Highlife, hip-life and Azonto from Ghana, as evidence that the international community already sees it as a separate style. He told TV3’s The Afternoon Show on Thursday, 8 October 2026, that Ghana needs to claim ownership of the genre and develop it further rather than letting other cultures borrow from it without acknowledgement.
"Why is Azonto still not a genre of music recognized by the people that it came from?" he asked during the interview. Gasmilla cited the rise of Amapiano as an example of a sound that progressed into an established genre, suggesting that formal recognition would give younger artists a solid foundation to build upon.
He also noted that several emerging sounds outside Ghana appear to draw inspiration from Azonto, reinforcing the need for the country to define and preserve the creation. For Gasmilla, recognising Azonto is not merely about naming it, but about providing future generations with a platform to expand the style globally.