Joé Dwèt Filé earns BET nomination, giving a global salute to konpa

Franco-Haitian singer Joe Gilles, better known as Joé Dwèt Filé will find out tonight, June 9,  whether there’s another accolade to add to his mantel. 

Joé Dwèt Filé has been nominated for the 2025 BET Award for Best International Act, a first for the singer, who is known for blending konpa with R&B and afrobeats.

BET announced the nominees on May 8, spotlighting a diverse global lineup. Joé Dwèt Filé shares the category with artists who have made waves internationally, including:

• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
• Black Sherif (Ghana)
• Ezra Collective (United Kingdom)
• Sdm (France)
• Bashy (United Kingdom)
• Any Gabrielly and Mc Luanna (Brazil)

Joé Dwèt Filé’s breakout track “4 Kampé” has garnered over 100 million streams, catapulting him into the international spotlight and making him a standout among Francophone nominees.

In addition to his BET recognition, Filé won Best Caribbean-Inspired Song at Les Flammes 2025 a few weeks earlier, dedicating his win to Haiti. Les Flammes is France’s premier award ceremony for urban and diasporic music.

His sound, rooted in Haitian rhythms, has not only earned commercial success but also critical acclaim across both sides of the Atlantic. “4 Kampé,” in particular, has become an anthem for many in the Haitian diaspora and Francophone communities.

Still, the celebrations come with complications. 

In April, Haitian musician Fabrice Rouzier filed a lawsuit in the United States, alleging that Joé Dwèt Filé’s hit “4 Kampé” infringes on his 2002 song Je Vais. The suit, filed in New York federal court, seeks over $150,000 per alleged infringement and a ban on further performances and distribution. Filé has not commented extensively on the matter, but in a post to Instagram wrote, “Let’s meet in court,” and thanked fans for their support.

Despite the legal cloud, the artist remains focused on celebrating Haitian culture on the world stage. As the BET Awards draw closer, Joé Dwèt Filé’s name continues to shine brighter, serving as a reminder of konpa’s growing influence and the global reach of Haitian musical talent.

The ceremony is set for Monday, June 9, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with millions of viewers expected to tune in from around the world.

The post Joé Dwèt Filé earns BET nomination, giving a global salute to konpa appeared first on The Haitian Times.