By Tyrone Reid, Staff reporter
Damian 'Jnr. Gong' Marley, son of the late Reggae artist Bob Marley, holds his Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 44th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, yesterday. - Reuters
DAMIAN 'JUNIOR Gong' Marley pushed the Marley Grammy tally to four last night, winning the Best Reggae Album Award at the Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.
His "Half-Way Tree" album is the second for the youngster, who won ahead of his elder sibling Kymani, Luciano, Beres Hammond as well as a compilation album from Hawaii entitled 'Island Warriors'.
The winning album was the first to be released under a distribution agreement between Ghetto Youths International, a company formed last year by two other sons of Bob Marley, Ziggy and Stephen, to encourage promising young acts, and the US R&B label, Motown Records.
Damion, 23, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and former Miss World, Cindy Breakspeare, was overjoyed last night.
"Mi feel great, yuh know what ah mean. The hard work finally start paying off," he told The Gleaner.
The award was presented on-stage in the pre-televised segment of the show.
The first Reggae Grammy presented in 1984 was won by the group Black Uhuru when "Junior Gong" was five years old.
Many in the music arena had expected the youngster to win but several downplayed his talent when they stated that he had an advantage because he is the son of the legendary reggae icon.
While conceding that his father's recognition might have given his chances a shot in the arm, he insisted his talent still shone through.
"I won't deny the fact that our father's influence can help us in our endeavours in the music, but that is a blessing. Our father was elected by the Most High to do the works so that blessing continues through his seed. So we give thanks fi everything. I mean we are who we are. I will be a Marley all my life, so we just give thanks same way and don't watch what people have to say."
The 23-year-old's jubilation paled in comparison to the emotions that his mother expressed.
An ecstatic Cindy Breakspeare who attended the show also spoke with The Gleaner last night from Los Angeles, dismissing the critics who felt he won because of his father's fame.
"I feel very confident and proud in saying that it is not because he is a Marley. It is a good album," she said. Cindy won the Miss World beauty contest title in 1977.
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers won three Reggae Grammies in 1988, 1989 and 1997.
