Grammys honour Hugh Masekela as Rihanna dances 'gwara gwara'

South Africa

South African jazz legend Hugh Masekela was honoured at the Grammy Awards that were held in New York last night.

Africa was well represented at the biggest night in global music, from Rihanna’s ‘gwara gwara’ dance that has the become the subject of an ownership debate on Twitter to an actual Grammy win by South African band Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

The Grammys paid tribute to Hugh Masekela, who died last week.

Rihanna did the South African dance, the GwaraGwara.

That's #PopCulture

South African Jazz Trumpeter and performer Hugh Masekela was honoured with a tribute

That's a #Legend

And South African group LadySmith Black Mambazo won their 5th grammy

That's #Art
#GRAMMYs

?? pic.twitter.com/Tfj1M4WM0E

— Renzel × Folarin (@FoluShaw) January 29, 2018

The South African government congratulated the all-male Ladysmith Black Mamabazo after winning the ‘Best World Music Award’ for their album Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Collection.

Halala Ladysmith Black Mambazo!!! Congratulations on winning the Grammy Award for the Best World Music Album 2017. Continue flying our South African flag high. Re motlotlo ka lona. #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/5AYBwHVwrt

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) January 29, 2018

But it is Rihanna’s performance of her hit song Wild Thoughts featuring DJ Khaled that got Africa talking.

South Africans praised her for doing the popular ‘gwara gwara’ dance, a dance move that was reportedly made popular by South African DJ Bongz.

Rihanna just did Gwara Gwara from South Africa ?????wow!!! #GRAMMYs wow Bhenga Dance On The Map ?????????? pic.twitter.com/YGxPhlacLu

— DangerFlex SA ?? (@DangerFlexSA) January 29, 2018

The celebrations became more heated when a US magazine tweeted and called the same dance move, ‘the stanky leg’.

Do the stanky leg. pic.twitter.com/nDPJFmY1zb

— Vulture (@vulture) January 29, 2018

South Africans then started tweeting to defend their ownership claims.

NAH. rihanna is doing a South African dance called #GwaraGwara. Give credit where it's due. Learn how to do it here: https://t.co/8VHp66addx https://t.co/0ougv9F9Cy
— OkayAfrica (okayafrica) January 29, 2018

South African twitter is occupying plenty space in Vulture’s mansions because they called the dance Rihanna was doing ‘the stanky leg’ ??? pic.twitter.com/kN2RF7Tuhb

— Baby Mogale (@babymashokwe) January 29, 2018

This is a Gwaragwara….. stanky leg ngunyoko pic.twitter.com/kVQaDPh9YJ

— Bruv Jali (@SelbySam_) January 29, 2018

The debate is still on, and many have called on Rihanna herself to settle it by letting the world know which dance move inspired her New York Grammy performance.