The third edition of the Monitor Music Awards chose Cartagena as its official venue and the ceremony will pay tribute to champeta. 

Germán González, director of the awards, announced in a press conference held in the city that "for the first time, champeta will be included as an independent genre at this important musical awards."

Ana María González, advisor to the Office for International Cooperation also said that "this is a giant step in the internationalization of this rhythm in the city. It consolidates us as a music industry like Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic."

The gala will be held on Sept. 8 at the Plaza de la Aduana, and will feature many champions of champeta, such as Mr. Black, Twister El Rey, Kevin Flórez, GiBlack, Criss y Ronny, Young F, Zaider and Dj Dever. 

The nominee announcements will be broadcast simultaneously to more than 18 countries on the most important television and cable networks in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

With the awards, the organizers hope to put champeta as a genre on the international map.

Champeta singer Mr. Black said that participating at the Monitor Music Awards means putting the musical genre on the global stage.

"This is one more point for the history, of our music and of our champeta culture," he added. 

Dj Dever, composer, singer and producer of champeta, expressed his pride and joy in representing the 'champetúa' culture before an international audience.

"They are going to say: champeta, what is this? Let's investigate, let's listen; and there they will find a range of colors and sounds that more than one will like, they will identify with this seasoning, with this rhythm that carries the champeta in its DNA," he said.

The 2022 Monitor Music Awards will also pay tribute to vallenato singers Jorge Oñate and Diomedes Díaz.