Junior Gong'...Roger Steffens, chairman of the Reggae Grammy Committee, debunks the Black Uhuru leader's theory that the Grammy is a jinx. "I don't know of that...'
"I FEEL IT is a jinx, because a lot of people's careers have gone downhill after winning."
That was how Duckie Simpson of Black Uhuru felt about the Reggae Grammy two years ago and he had the experience to prove it. After winning the first ever Grammy in the Reggae Category for Anthem in 1985, the group fragmented and one of their members died.
In 1986 they moved from Island Records and then their lead singer, Mykal Rose, left them. Then in 1990 they had to mourn the death of Sandra Puma Jones, who died of cancer. Later in the same decade Simpson had to fight original members Don Carlos and Garth Dennis in court over use of the Black Uhuru name.
He won the litigation and now the group soldiers on but not with the following they
once had.
However, Roger Steffens, chairman of the Reggae Grammy Committee, debunks the Black Uhuru leader's theory that the Grammy is a jinx. "I don't know of that. When you look at the Melody Makers, who had three Grammy awards and had pretty successful careers, then I would say the belief is pretty superstitious. It probably started with where they had problems after their award, but that has to do with the group's internal problems," he said.
However, not every Grammy winner has a sad story to tell. In fact, only one other person can bemoan the demise of their career. He is the self-styled 'big, ugly, dutty stinking Shabba'. Shabba Ranks, a double Grammy winner for the 1991 As Raw As Ever and the 1992 X-Tra Naked albums has never seen his career on stable footing since those wins. In fact, the 'Grammy Kid' seemed to get more negative attention after winning than anything else.
The American-based Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) took the deejay to task for homophobic lyrics. At that same time, his home crowd lost the taste for his content, bravado and name as new acts like Buju Banton and Terror Fabulous grabbed their eyes and ears.
However, producer Paul 'Computer Paul' Henton, who had a hand in at least one of Shabba Ranks' Grammy-winning albums, believes that such occurrences are purely accidental and not a jinx. "I don't think so. Statistically there are persons who nothing happens for them after winning, but it is coincidental. To win the Grammy means you are doing something and that they are recognising what you are doing, so it is not a failure in the persons' career," he said.
Steffens concurs, but puts another spin to the issue. "It's not a jinx. It's the natural flow of the music business. They sometimes lose the popularity that they had at first, but it's not a jinx...," he said.
It would seem that Shabba and Black Uhuru are the only unfortunate ones to be 'hexed' by the Reggae Grammy, since most of the winners still have active careers. Jimmy Cliff, who walked away with the award in 1986 for his 1985 effort Cliff Hanger, released Fantastic Plastic People in 2002. He has four confirmed show dates in England between March 21 and 27.
Steel Pulse has also been touring extensively since winning the Grammy in 1987. The group earned several subsequent nominations and, according to their website, was scheduled to perform in Long Beach, California, on February 15. Ziggy Marley of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, who copped the award for efforts in 1988, 1989 and 1997, recently signed a deal with RCA Victor and was touring up to summer of last year. Bunny Wailer, Beenie Man and Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley have been performing on the local scene and still do shows abroad on a regular basis.
Burning Spear won the award for his 1999 effort Calling Rastafari in 2000. He continues to carry roots reggae's burning fire all over the world, with tour dates running until September this year in both the United States and Europe. Sly and Robbie continue to hold firm. They were largely responsible for the success of No Doubt's Hey Baby and Underneath It All from their album Rock Steady.
Of course, there is 'Mr. Hot Shot' himself. Shaggy, who won in 1996, for the previous year's album Boombastic and is even more successful now than he was back then. In fact, the 2000 album Hotshot sold 10 million copies worldwide a feat not many other artistes in any other genre can claim. So successful is the man today that there are questions in American game shows based on him.
With so many winners of the Grammy seemingly successful, Desmond Young, the president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM), points out that the reasons for failure after an artiste wins the Grammy may be due to internal problems in the artiste's camp. As far as he is concerned, there is no such thing as bad luck and all winners are responsible for the direction of their careers subsequent to copping the award. "I guess it's probably poor marketing after getting a Grammy which causes the artiste to fail. It could also be a management flaw why they fail, rather than the Grammy," he said.
A possible Grammy jinx has not been on the minds of the nominees for 2002. Two of the five, Capleton and Bounty Killer, are not concerned with whether they win or not. Although they feel good about their nominations, for them they have had more significant achievements. "I think being at the forefront of dancehall for 10 years that is the biggest 'Grammy'. It's very hard to keep at the forefront for 10 years. I'm not dissing the Grammy (nomination). I appreciate it and much respect, but my biggest achievement to date is being at the forefront for 10 years consistently. That's bigger than any Grammy or any other award. That's the biggest award and that's what the Lord has done for me and also the support of the fans," said Bounty Killer in a recent interview with The Sunday Gleaner.
Capleton said: "Di Grammy is fi di business an' fi mi fans. It will bring much glory an' much blessings for me... We see nuff man get Grammy an we nuh hear or si dem again. There's no limit to the music. Some man a seh Grammy an' dats it. But a nuh so it go. We know seh we sell pass Grammy long time."
Steffens reinforces the statement made by two of the nominees. "In the reggae fraternity a Grammy is not taken seriously. That's why I think the claims that the Grammy Award is a jinx is purely superstitious," he said.
Freddy McGregor, another nominee for this year, sees the supposed jinx going the other way. "It would be a reversal (of the jinx) in my case. No other artiste has been recording as long as I have. If anything it will be a resurrection for me. I don't see it as a jinx," he said.
