Representatives of Germany's Echo Music Awards announced on Wednesday that they would cancel their major prize that is awarded to talented musicians every year amid a dispute over the 2018 winners, two rappers criticized for their anti-Semitic lyrics.
"The Echo brand is so badly damaged that a complete new beginning is necessary," Germany's Music Industry Association stated, adding that the "Echo will be no more."
German rappers Kollegah and Farid Bang who won the prize this year could face a legal trial over inciting hate as a resident of Hamburg has filed a legal complaint against the duo, German magazine Focus reported on Tuesday.
Kollegah and Farid Bang are accused of glorifying violence and anti-Semitic remarks in connection with their album "JBG3."
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Their victory in the music competition prompted active discussion in German society about the need to counter the rise of anti-Semitism in the country.
Earlier this week, the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, advised Jews to avoid "openly appearing in kippahs in Germany's major cities" due to possible attacks.