On May 10 2025, Ghanaian artiste Gregory Bortey Newman, professionally known as King Promise, was crowned Artiste of the Year at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA). Alongside this major honour, he also bagged Best Afropop Song of the Year for his hit single “Paris” and Best Afrobeat/Afropop Artiste of the Year.
Despite the celebratory mood, King Promise has come under scrutiny for not publicly acknowledging a congratulatory message from acclaimed Dancehall artiste Stonebwoy. On 12 May, Livingstone Etse Satekla, popularly known as Stonebwoy and celebrated for songs like “Nominate” and “Cedar”, posted on social media platform X to praise King Promise and welcome him into “the league of winners.”
READ MORE: King Promise to fully sponsor his publicist's education after winning AOTY
However, King Promise has yet to respond to the message, sparking conversations among fans and industry observers. In a recent interview, the Paris hitmaker addressed the matter briefly, stating:
I have received the congrats, but I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t really think it’s like anything to speak about.
Congratulations @IamKingPromise on your win and on your debut entry into the league of AOTY winners. You're Welcome ????
— THE TORCHER (@stonebwoy) May 12, 2025
He also noted that while he had been informed about the post by others, he had not personally seen it, adding:
I just told them to relax. It’s not a big deal for me
In contrast, King Promise responded warmly to fellow nominee King Paluta, who lost out on the Artiste of the Year title. On 11 May 2025, Thomas Adjei Wireko, popularly known as King Paluta, congratulated King Promise via X, writing:
READ MORE: 2025 TGMA: Full list of winners
Congratulations to Big Greg @IamKingPromise! Apicki!
Ouch !!! Bless my brother. https://t.co/1SsQfywjLH
— King Promise (@IamKingPromise) May 11, 2025
The interaction between the two musicians has been widely shared, with fans praising the show of mutual respect and sportsmanship—a testament to the evolving spirit of unity within Ghana’s music industry.
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